title: An acetylcholinesterase-based chronoamperometric biosensor for fast and reliable assay of nerve agents.
abstract: The enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an important part of cholinergic nervous system, where it stops neurotransmission by hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It is sensitive to inhibition by organophosphate and carbamate insecticides, some Alzheimer disease drugs, secondary metabolites such as aflatoxins and nerve agents used in chemical warfare. When immobilized on a sensor (physico-chemical transducer), it can be used for assay of these inhibitors. In the experiments described herein, an AChE- based electrochemical biosensor using screen printed electrode systems was prepared. The biosensor was used for assay of nerve agents such as sarin, soman, tabun and VX. The limits of detection achieved in a measuring protocol lasting ten minutes were 7.41 × 10(-12) mol/L for sarin, 6.31 × 10(-12) mol /L for soman, 6.17 × 10(-11) mol/L for tabun, and 2.19 × 10(-11) mol/L for VX, respectively. The assay was reliable, with minor interferences caused by the organic solvents ethanol, methanol, isopropanol and acetonitrile. Isopropanol was chosen as suitable medium for processing lipophilic samples.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. miroslav.pohanka@gmail.com
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pohanka
authors.forename: Vojtech
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kizek
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000737:chemistry*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D003217:Conductometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D009498:Neurotoxins; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase