A novel amperometric biosensor for superoxide anion based on superoxide dismutase immobilized on gold nanoparticle-chitosan-ionic liquid biocomposite film

A novel superoxide anion (O2−) biosensor is proposed based on the immobilization of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD) in a gold nanoparticle-chitosan-ionic liquid (GNPs-CS-IL) biocomposite film. The SOD-based biosensor was constructed by one-step ultrasonic electrodeposition of GNP-CS-IL composite onto glassy carbon electrode (GCE), followed by immobilization of SOD on the modified electrode. Surface morphologies of a set of representative films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical performance of the biosensor was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. A pair of quasi-reversible redox peaks of SOD with a formal potential of 0.257 V was observed at SOD/GNPs-CS-IL/GCE in phosphate buffer solution (PBS, 0.1 M, pH 7.0). The effects of varying test conditions on the electrochemical behavior of the biosensor were investigated. Furthermore, several electrochemical parameters were calculated in detail. Based on the biomolecule recognition of the specific reactivity of SOD toward O2−, the developed biosensor exhibited a fast amperometric response (<5 s), wide linear range (5.6–2.7 × 103 nM), low detection limit (1.7 nM), and excellent selectivity for the real-time measurement of O2−. The proposed method is promising for estimating quantitatively the dynamic changes of O2− in biological systems.

Schematic representation of the assembly process of SOD/GNPs-CS-IL/GCE.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► SOD was immobilized in gold nanoparticles-chitosan-ionic liquid (GNPs-CS-IL) film.
► The biosensor was constructed by one-step ultrasonic electrodeposition of GNPs-CS-IL onto GCE.
► The biosensor showed excellent analytical performance for O2− real-time analysis.