DNA/Poly(p-aminobenzensulfonic acid) composite bi-layer modified glassy carbon electrode for determination of dopamine and uric acid under coexistence of ascorbic acid

A nano-composite of DNA/poly(p-aininobenzensulfonic acid) bi-layer modified glassy carbon electrode as a biosensor was fabricated by electro-deposition method. The DNA layer was electrochemically deposited on the top of electropolymerized layer of poly(p-aminobenzensulfonic acid) (Pp-ABSA). Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectrum were used for characterization. It demonstrated that the deposited Pp-ABSA formed a 2-D fractal patterned nano-structure on the electrode surface, and which was further covered by a uniform thin DNA layer. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectrum were used to characterize the deposition, and demonstrated the conductivity of the Pp-ABSA layer. The biosensor was applied to the detection of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA). In comparison with DNA and Pp-ABSA single layer modified electrodes, the composite bi-layer modification provided superior electrocatalytic actively towards the oxidation of DA, UA and AA, and separated the originally overlapped differential pulse voltammetric signals of UA, DA and AA oxidation at the bare electrode into three well-defined peaks at pH 7 solution. The peak separation between AA and DA, AA and UA was 176 mV and 312 mV, respectively. In the presence of 1.0 mM AA, the anodic peak current was a linear function of the concentration of DA in the range 0.19-13 mu M. The detection limit was 88 nM DA (s/n = 3). The anodic peak current of UA was also a linear function of concentration in the range 0.4-23 mu M with a detection limit of 0.19 mu M in the presence of 0.5 mM AA. The superior sensing ability was attributed to the composite nano-structure. An interaction mechanism was proposed. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.