Gold nanoparticles and a glucose oxidase based biosensor: an attempt to follow-up aging by XPS

Amperometric biosensors are widely used for clinical, food industry and environmental control. A universal platform allowing immobilization of different enzymes could provide a fast and easy way to design new sensors, but the main drawback effect with oxidase based biosensors is the production of hydrogen peroxide. The direct electron transfer is a way to limit the H(2)O(2) production. A modified electrode described by Zhao et al. (Bioelectrochemistry, 69(2):158, 2006), based on immobilization of glucose oxidase/colloidal gold nanoparticles on a glassy carbon electrode by Nafion film, has been used. Its sensitivity is 0.4 mu A mM(-1) cm(-2), reproducibility is 3.0%, detection limit is 0.37 mM, response to glucose is linear up to 20 mM; limit of detection is 0.37 mM and response time is about 1.5 min. This sensor displays a formal redox potential compatible with a direct electron transfer, and has been tested for its response in time and GOx denaturation by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Vanishing of disulphide bonds of GOx has been observed after a period in a saturating solution of glucose but this does not appear determinant in loss of enzyme activity.