Electroanalytical Characterization of Carbon Black Nanomaterial Paste Electrode: Development of Highly Sensitive Tyrosinase Biosensor for Catechol Detection

Abstract

In this work, the electrochemical behavior of carbon black paste electrode prepared using a nanostructured commercial carbon black (N220) was investigated. The sensor was challenged with several potentially interesting analytes by means of cyclic voltammetry technique and the results compared with graphite carbon paste electrode. Shifting in peak potential and/or increase in the peak currents for some analytes such as ferricyanide, ascorbic acid, acetoaminophen, epinephrine, and DOPAC were observed. The carbon black paste was combined with tyrosinase enzyme to produce a biosensor which was challenged in amperometric mode with catechol. The highest sensitivity, equal to 625 nA/μM, coupled with lowest detection limit of 0.008 μM was observed for this formulation relative to those made with graphite and even when compared with carbon nanotubes tyrosinase paste electrode previously reported. In this way, the carbon black could be considered a good electrode material for constructing other electrochemical biosensors with the advantage to be a nanostrutured material at low cost.

Keywords:

• Biosensor
• Carbon black
• Carbon paste
• Catechol
• Electrochemical
• Tyrosinase

This article was submitted as part of a Special Memorial Issue honoring Prof. George G. Guilbault.

The authors thank Dr. E. Tamburri and Prof. M. L.Terranova for the SEM characterization.

Notes

^a Values taken from the literature (Valentini et al. 2003).

ΔE_p (mV) is the peak to peak separation for reversible electrochemical species.

E_pa (mV) is the potential of oxidation for irreversible electrochemical species.

I_pa (µA) is the current of the anodic peak for all electroactive species investigated.

^a Values taken from the literature (Mita et al. 2007).