Lipase-nanoporous gold biocomposite modified electrode for reliable detection of triglycerides

• A novel bioelectrode was developed by lipase-nanoporous gold biocomposite modifying electrode.
• The resulting bioelectrode showed high sensitivity, anti-interference ability, and good stability.
• The bioelectrode had reliable detection of triglycerides in human serum.

For triglycerides biosensor design, protein immobilization is necessary to create the interface between the enzyme and the electrode. In this study, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with lipase-nanoporous gold (NPG) biocomposite (denoted as lipase/NPG/GCE). Due to highly conductive, porous, and biocompatible three-dimensional structure, NPG is suitable for enzyme immobilization. In cyclic voltammetry experiments, the lipase/NPG/GCE bioelectrode displayed surface-confined reaction in a phosphate buffer solution. Linear responses were obtained for tributyrin concentrations ranging from 50 to 250 mg dl−1 and olive oil concentrations ranging from 10 to 200 mg dl−1. The value of apparent Michaelis–Menten constant for tributyrin was 10.67 mg dl−1 and the detection limit was 2.68 mg dl−1. Further, the lipase/NPG/GCE bioelectrode had strong anti-interference ability against urea, glucose, cholesterol, and uric acid as well as a long shelf-life. For the detection of triglycerides in human serum, the values given by the lipase/NPG/GCE bioelectrode were in good agreement with those of an automatic biochemical analyzer. These properties along with a long self-life make the lipase/NPG/GCE bioelectrode an excellent choice for the construction of triglycerides biosensor.