Acetylcholinesterase biosensor for carbamate drugs based on tetrathiafulvalene–tetracyanoquinodimethane/ionic liquid conductive gels

A highly sensitive acetylcholinesterase biosensor was developed for detection of carbamate drugs based on TTF–TCNQ–ionic liquid gel thiocholine sensor. The TTF–TCNQ–ionic/ionic liquid gel was characterized by FT-IR and scanning electron microscopy. The electrocatalytic behavior of TTF–TCNQ–ionic liquid gels toward oxidation of thiocholine was thoroughly investigated. 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetracyanoborate gel based sensor allowed amperometric detection of thiocholine at +400 mV vs. Ag/AgCl with a high sensitivity of 55.9±1.2 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a low detection limit equal to 7.6 μM. The catalytic rate constant and diffusion constant of thiocholine were estimated from chronoamperometric data. The proposed biosensor based on AChE immobilized in sol–gel matrix was used for the detection of two carbamate therapeutic drugs. Very low detection limits of 26 pM eserine and 0.3 nM neostigmine were achieved. The analysis of spiked tap water proved the biosensor capability to be used as a screening method for detection of carbamate drugs in wastewaters.

► The first biosensing application of TTF–TCNQ–ionic liquid gel.
► Highly sensitive AChE biosensor.
► Very low detection limits for eserine and neostigimine drugs.