Amplified Zinc Signal at a Nanocarbon Film Electrode for Lipopolysaccharide Detection

We report an electrochemical method for detecting low concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), based on amplified zinc (Zn) signals on a sputtered nanocarbon film electrode. The nanocarbon film electrode allowed us to detect Zn2+ ions at a lower concentration than a conventional glassy carbon electrode using anodic stripping voltammetry. This was due to the efficient accumulation and detection of Zn2+ ions with very low noise made possible by the ultraflat nanocarbon film surface. The amplified Zn signals from a newly synthesized Zn-complex-based probe were successfully used to detect LPS with low concentrations without employing conventional reagents.