title: Disposable amperometric immunosensor for the detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using screen-printed electrodes.
abstract: An amperometric immunosensor for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was developed. The immunosensor was based on disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes. The coating antigen used was phenanthrene-9-carboxaldehyde coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA) via adipic acid dihydrazide. Antibodies were monoclonal mouse anti-phenanthrene. The enzyme alkaline phosphatase (AP) was used in combination with the substrate p-aminophenyl phosphate (pAPP) for detection at +300 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl). Various assay types were compared. Good results were achieved with an indirect co-exposure competition assay with a LOD of 0.8 ng/ml (800 ppt) and an IC(50) of 7.1 ng/ml (7.1 ppb) for phenanthrene. An indirect competition assay could detect phenanthrene with a LOD of 2 ng/ml (IC(50): 15 ng/ml) and an indirect displacement assay with a LOD of 2 ng/ml (IC(50): 11 ng/ml) at a 5 microl surface coating of 8.8 microg/ml phenanthrene-BSA conjugate. A coating concentration of 2.2 microg/ml allowed detection with a LOD of 0.25 ng/ml (250 ppt) with the indirect competition assay. The influence of the coating concentration on the sensor performance was investigated. Cross-reactivities were tested for 16 important PAHs. Anthracene and chrysene showed strong cross-reactivity, whereas benzo[g,h,i]perylene and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene showed no cross-reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University College Cork (UCC), Western Road, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fähnrich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pravda
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Guilbault
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000276:immunology; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D004566:Electrodes; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000276:immunology; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; C031181:phenanthrene; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase