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H(2)O(2)-generating peroxidase electrodes as reagentless cyanide sensors
1Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo 184, Japan.
Abstract:
Inexpensive, reagentless, and simple (single-electrode) cyanide biosensors are developed using a pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrode on which horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is adsorbed. The electrode is poised at -300 mV vs Ag/AgCl for 40 s to reduce dissolved O(2) to H(2)O(2) at the PG surface. The generated H(2)O(2) accumulates in the diffusion layer. The potential is then stepped to 0 mV, at which the accumulated H(2)O(2) is reduced, though the O(2) reduction does not proceed. Since the H(2)O(2) reduction is catalyzed by HRP, the transient cathodic current is inhibited by cyanide. Therefore, the transient current is a function of the cyanide concentration. A HRP/PG electrode with saturated HRP coverage is reliable, and it can determine 10(-)(5)-10(-)(3) M cyanide. On the other hand, the electrode with lower HRP coverage is less reliable, though it is so sensitive as to detect 2 × 10(-)(7) M cyanide because the system is under kinetic control.
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The Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE) is a widely used reference electrode that maintains zero potential across all temperatures. However, its need for a continuous hydrogen gas supply renders it impractical for everyday use.
An alternative to SHE is the Saturated Calomel Electrode (SCE). This electrode features an...
