Bio- and bioelectro-catalytic properties of polyaniline/poly(acrylic acid) composite films bearing covalently-immobilized acid phosphatase

Conducting films composed of polyaniline (PANI) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were prepared by electrochemical polymerization of aniline in the presence of various concentrations of PAA. The content of PAA moiety on the surface of the composite films (PANI/PAA films) was estimated by determination of carboxyl groups and found to be controlled by the concentration of PAA in polymerization solution. Acid phosphatase (ACP) was immobilized covalently on the PANI/PAA films by the condensation reaction with the carboxyl groups on the films. It was confirmed that the enzyme activity of the ACP-immobilized PANI/PAA film increased with increasing content of PAA moiety on the surface of the film, accompanying an increase in the amount of the immobilized ACP. The activity of the covalently immobilized ACP was significantly higher than that of the ACP adsorbed on the PANI/PAA film. By use of the ACP-immobilized PANI/PAA film as an enzyme electrode, bioelectrocatalytic oxidation of L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (ASA2P) was examined. The enzyme electrode gave the current due to the oxidation of ASA2P in proportion to the content of PAA moiety on the surface of the PANI/PAA film used, which was relevant to the activity of the covalently immobilized ACP.