PVP-stabilized PtRu nanozymes with peroxidase-like activity and its application for colorimetric and fluorometric glucose detection

Nanozymes have significant advantages over natural enzymes. The intrinsic peroxidase-like activity of Pt-based nanomaterials can be enhanced by alloying with other transition metals, such as Ru, that have great catalytic activity. In this study, we used polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to synthesize well-dispersed and homogeneous nanostructures. PVP-stabilized Pt-Ru nanozymes (PVP/PtRu NZs) were synthesized and characterized. The PVP/ PtRu NZs had an average size of 3.54 +/- 0.84 nm and exhibited an intense peroxidase-like activity. The PVP/PtRu NZs were used as peroxidase mimics for colorimetric and fluorometric glucose determination by the glucose oxidase and PVP/PtRu NZs cascade reaction. In the colorimetric assay, the linearly detectable range was 0.25-3.0 mM, with an R2 and limit of detection (LOD) of 0.988 and 138 mu M, respectively. In the fluorometric assay, a linear relationship was found when the glucose concentration was between 5.0 and 300 mu M (R2 = 0.997), with an LOD of 1.11 mu M. Compared to the colorimetric assay, the fluorometric assay had greater sensitivity and a lower detection limit for the determination of glucose. Moreover, the PVP/PtRu NZs had high storage stability over a month and great recovery values in human serum and artificial urine, with a range of 94-106 %. From these results, PVP/PtRu NZs are expected to be used as promising peroxidase mimics in various fields such as biosensing, pharmaceutical processing, and the food industry.

Automated summary

Nanozymes, particularly Pt-Ru nanostructures stabilized by PVP, exhibit intense peroxidase-like activity and are promising for glucose detection. The colorimetric and fluorometric assays showed excellent sensitivity, with the fluorometric assay having a lower detection limit. Furthermore, the PtRu nanozymes had high stability and recovery values in human serum and artificial urine, indicating their potential applications in various fields.