Biosensor based on laccase immobilized on plasma polymerized allylamine/carbon electrode

Exploring Botryosphaeran, a (1 → 3)(1 → 6)-β-D-Glucan, as a Matrix for the Stabilization of Laccase from Pleurotus ostreatus Florida onto a Zinc Oxide Quantum Dots Platform for the Electrochemical Determination of 2,6-Dimethoxyphenol

This work describes the development of a novel biosensor obtained by immobilizing laccase from Pleurotus ostreatus Florida onto a glassy carbon electrode platform modified with zinc oxide quantum dots. For enzyme immobilization, the exopolysaccharide botryosphaeran from Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05 was used. Although both biomaterials are from different fungal sources, laccase immobilization was guaranteed, which was demonstrated by the excellent stability of the fabricated biosensor device for the voltammetric determination of 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP). Under the optimal experimental conditions, the cathodic current from the square-wave voltammograms presented a linear dependence on the 2,6-DMP concentration within the range of 10-400 nmol L-1, with a limit of detection of 9 nmol L-1. This bioanalytical device exhibited excellent repeatability and long-term storage stability.

Plasma Surface Engineering of Natural and Sustainable Polymeric Derivatives and Their Potential Applications

Recently, natural as well as synthetic polymers have been receiving significant attention as candidates to replace non-renewable materials. With the exponential developments in the world each day, the collateral damage to the environment is incessant. Increased demands for reducing pollution and energy consumption are the driving force behind the research related to surface-modified natural fibers (NFs), polymers, and various derivatives of them such as natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Natural fibers have received special attention for industrial applications due to their favorable characteristics, such as low cost, abundance, light weight, and biodegradable nature. Even though NFs offer many potential applications, they still face some challenges in terms of durability, strength, and processing. Many of these have been addressed by various surface modification methodologies and compositing with polymers. Among different surface treatment strategies, low-temperature plasma (LTP) surface treatment has recently received special attention for tailoring surface properties of different materials, including NFs and synthetic polymers, without affecting any of the bulk properties of these materials. Hence, it is very important to get an overview of the latest developments in this field. The present article attempts to give an overview of different materials such as NFs, synthetic polymers, and composites. Special attention was placed on the low-temperature plasma-based surface engineering of these materials for diverse applications, which include but are not limited to environmental remediation, packaging, biomedical devices, and sensor development.

Recent Advances in the Development of Laccase-Based Biosensors via Nano-Immobilization Techniques

Monitoring phenolic compounds is critical in the environmental, food, and medical sectors. Among many recent advanced detection platforms, laccase-based biosensing platforms gave very rapid, effective, online, and in situ sensing of phenolic compounds. In laccase-based biosensors, laccase immobilization techniques have a vital role. However, a detailing of the advancements in laccase immobilization techniques employed in laccase-based biosensors is lacking in the literature. Thus, in this review, we assessed how the nano-immobilization techniques shaped the laccase biosensing platforms. We discussed novel developments in laccase immobilization techniques such as entrapment, adsorption, cross-linking, and covalent over new nanocomposites in laccase biosensors. We made a comprehensive assessment based on the current literature for future perspectives of nano-immobilized laccase biosensors. We found the important key areas toward which future laccase biosensor research seems to be heading. These include 1. A focus on the development of multi-layer laccase over electrode surface, 2. The need to utilize more covalent immobilization routes, as they change the laccase specificity toward phenolic compounds, 3. The advancement in polymeric matrices with electroconductive properties, and 4. novel entrapment techniques like biomineralization using laccase molecules. Thus, in this review, we provided a detailed account of immobilization in laccase biosensors and their feasibility in the future for the development of highly specific laccase biosensors in industrial, medicinal, food, and environmental applications.

State of the art in nonthermal plasma processing for biomedical applications: Can it help fight viral pandemics like COVID-19?

Plasma processing finds widespread biomedical applications, such as the design of biosensors, antibiofouling surfaces, controlled drug delivery systems, and in plasma sterilizers. In the present coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation, the prospect of applying plasma processes like surface activation, plasma grafting, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition/plasma polymerization, surface etching, plasma immersion ion implantation, crosslinking, and plasma decontamination to provide timely solutions in the form of better antiviral alternatives, practical diagnostic tools, and reusable personal protective equipment is worth exploring. Herein, the role of nonthermal plasmas and their contributions toward healthcare are timely reviewed to engage different communities in assisting healthcare associates and clinicians, not only to combat the current COVID-19 pandemic but also to prevent similar kinds of future outbreaks.

Microporous carbon fibers as electroconductive immobilization matrixes: Effect of their structure on operational parameters of laccase-based amperometric biosensor

In this study, we describe the fabrication of sensitive biosensor for the detection of phenolic substrates using laccase immobilized onto two types of microporous carbon fibers (CFs). The main characteristics of microporous CFs used for preparation of biosensors are given. Two CFs were characterized by different specific surface area, CFA (<1 m²·g^-1) and CFB (1448 m²·g^-1), but with comparable size of the micropores estimated by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The structural analysis was shown that CFA is formed by thin interwoven fibers forming a highly porous structure, as well as CFB - by granular formations with uneven edges that shape a cellulose membrane of lower porosity. The results of amperometric analysis revealed that the laccase-bound CFs possesses better electrochemical behavior for laccase than non-modified rod carbon electrodes (control). Using chronoamperometric analysis, the operational parameters of the CFs-modified bioelectrodes were compared to control bioelectrodes. The bioelectrodes based on CFs have demonstrated 2.4-2.7 folds enhanced maximal current at substrate saturation (I_max) values, 1.2-1.4 folds increased sensitivity and twice wide linearity compared with control bioelectrodes. The sensitivity of the developed CFs-based bioelectrodes was improved compared with the laccase-bound electrodes, described in literature. The developed biosensor was tested for catechol analysis in the real communal wastewater sample.

Laccase Enzyme Polymerization by Soft Plasma Jet for Durable Bioactive Coatings

Conventional pin-to-point continuous wave Helium Corona plasma discharge was successfully used in Soft Plasma Polymerization (SPP) processes to immobilize into water and onto glass polymerized bioactive Cerrena unicolor laccase coatings. The coatings were tested for bioactivity and durability under water wash. The coatings showed up to 59% bioactivity relative to the native laccase in water deposition, undoubtedly due to damage to and fragmentation of monomer molecules by the active, energetic species in the plasma. However, plasma deposited laccase coatings on glass delivered 7 times the laccase activity of the same non-plasma deposition process in the coating after water wash. This latter result would seem to be due to the ability of the plasma to both crosslink monomer and more strongly bond it to the glass surface by a combination of surface cleaning and the creation of active, high energy sites in both glass and laccase molecules. FTIR analysis indicated that the core copper containing moieties at the centre of the molecule largely remain undamaged by this plasma type so that bonding and cross-linking reactions are likely to mainly involve species around the outer perimeter of the molecule. The chemical composition and structure of laccase biocoatings deposited by Corona SPP are described. The combination of the coating performance parameter values for retained activity and durability under water wash indicates that a relatively simple Corona plasma process for deposition of biocoatings, which directly polymerizes the monomer with no added matrix or encapsulant material, may offer enhanced solutions for biocatalyst, sensor or lab-on-a-chip applications.

Kinetic characterization, thermo-stability and Reactive Red 195A dye detoxifying properties of manganese peroxidase-coupled gelatin hydrogel

An indigenous and industrially important manganese peroxidase (MnP) was isolated from solid-state bio-processing of wheat bran by white-rot fungal strain Ganoderma lucidum IBL-05 under pre-optimized growth conditions. Crude MnP extract was partially purified (2.34-fold) to apparent homogeneity by ammonium sulphate precipitation and dialysis. The homogeneous enzyme preparation was encapsulated on gelatin matrix using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. Optimal conditions for highest immobilization (82.5%) were: gelatin 20% (w/v), glutaraldehyde 0.25% (v/v) and 2 h activation time using 0.6 mg/mL of protein concentration. Gelatin-encapsulated MnP presented its maximum activity at pH 6.0 and 60 °C. Thermo-stability was considerably improved after immobilization. The optimally active MnP fraction was tested against MnSO₄ as a substrate to calculate kinetic parameters. More than 90% decolorization of Sandal-fix Red C₄BLN (Reactive Red 195A) dye was achieved with immobilized MnP in 5 h. It also preserved more than 50% of its original activity after the sixth reusability cycle. The water quality parameters (pH, chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon) and cytotoxicity (brine shrimp and Daphnia magna) studies revealed the non-toxic nature of the bio-treated dye sample. A lower K_m, higher V_max, greater acidic and thermal-resistant up to 60 °C were the improved catalytic features of immobilized MnP suggesting its suitability for a variety of biotechnological applications.

Characteristic features and dye degrading capability of agar-agar gel immobilized manganese peroxidase

Immobilization of enzymes has been regarded as an efficient approach to develop biocatalyst with improved activity and stability characteristics under reaction conditions. In the present study, purified manganese peroxidase (MnP) from Ganoderma lucidum IBL-05 was immobilized in agar-agar support using entrapment technique. Maximum immobilization yield was accomplished at 4.0% agar-agar gel. The immobilized MnP exhibited better resistance to changes in pH and temperature than the free enzyme, with optimal conditions being pH 6.0 and 50 °C. The kinetic parameters Km and Kcat/Km for free and entrapped MnP were calculated to be 65.6 mM and 6.99 M(-1) s(-1), and 82 mM and 8.15 M(-1) s(-1), respectively. Thermo-stability was significantly improved after immobilization. After 120 h, the insolubilized MnP retained its activity up to 71.9% and 60.3% at 30 °C and 40 °C, respectively. It showed activity until 10th cycle and retained 74.3% residual activity after 3th cycle. The effects of H2O2, ionic strength and potential inhibitors on activity of free and immobilized enzyme were investigated. Moreover, the decolorization of three structurally different dyes was monitored in order to assess the degrading capability of the entrapped MnP. The decolorization efficiencies for all the tested dyes were 78.6-84.7% after 12h. The studies concluded that the toxicity of dyes aqueous solutions was significantly reduced after treatment. The remarkable catalytic, thermo-stability and re-cycling features of the agar-agar immobilized MnP display a high potential for biotechnological applications.

A catechol biosensor based on electrospun carbon nanofibers

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared by combining electrospinning with a high-temperature carbonization technique. And a polyphenol biosensor was fabricated by blending the obtained CNFs with laccase and Nafion. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) were, respectively, employed to investigate the structures and morphologies of the CNFs and of the mixtures. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry were employed to study the electrocatalysis of the catechol biosensor. The results indicated that the sensitivity of the biosensor was 41 µA·mM(-1), the detection limit was 0.63 µM, the linear range was 1-1310 µM and the response time was within 2 seconds, which excelled most other laccase-based biosensor reported. Furthermore, the biosensor showed good repeatability, reproducibility, stability and tolerance to interferences. This novel biosensor also demonstrated its promising application in detecting catechol in real water samples.