Oxygen-Vacancy-Enhanced Peroxidase-like Activity of Reduced Co3O4 Nanocomposites for the Colorimetric Detection of H2O2 and Glucose

Facile Estimation of Surface Oxygen Vacancies in Co3O4 Catalysts with a Colorimetric Method

Oxygen vacancy (Ov) is known to act as an active center of the metal oxide. Quantification of surface Ov is vital for understanding the quantitative structure-activity relationship. Facile quantification characterization of surface Ov is highly desirable but still challenging. In this study, we presented a simple colorimetric method for rapidly quantifying surface Ov. As an example of metal oxide nanoparticles, Co3O4 was used to catalyze the 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)-H2O2 colorimetric reaction. It was found that the absorbance of the TMB-H2O2 system was dependent on the surface Ov amount in Co3O4. The investigation of the mechanism showed that the Ov-dependent absorbance would be attributed to the activity of surface Ov to easily adsorb and dissociate H2O2 into a hydroxyl radical (•OH). The absorbance signal of the TMB-H2O2 system acted as a probe to estimate the surface Ov. This colorimetric measurement could be completed in less than 20 min. The Ov concentrations obtained by the proposed colorimetric method matched well with those obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This method does not require any complex operation and expensive equipment and can be performed in any ordinary chemical laboratory. So, this colorimetric method is expected to become an alternative approach for quantifying the surface Ov in metal oxide nanoparticles. This method will provide essential insights into the rational design and application of Ov.

Cu-BTC Derived Mesoporous CuS Nanomaterial as Nanozyme for Colorimetric Detection of Glutathione

In this paper, Cu-BTC derived mesoporous CuS nanomaterial (m-CuS) was synthesized via a two-step process involving carbonization and sulfidation of Cu-BTC for colorimetric glutathione detection. The Cu-BTC was constructed by 1,3,5-benzenetri-carboxylic acid (H3BTC) and Cu2+ ions. The obtained m-CuS showed a large specific surface area (55.751 m2/g), pore volume (0.153 cm3/g), and pore diameter (15.380 nm). In addition, the synthesized m-CuS exhibited high peroxidase-like activity and could catalyze oxidation of the colorless substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine to a blue product. Peroxidase-like activity mechanism studies using terephthalic acid as a fluorescent probe proved that m-CuS assists H2O2 decomposition to reactive oxygen species, which are responsible for TMB oxidation. However, the catalytic activity of m-CuS for the oxidation of TMB by H2O2 could be potently inhibited in the presence of glutathione. Based on this phenomenon, the colorimetric detection of glutathione was demonstrated with good selectivity and high sensitivity. The linear range was 1-20 μM and 20-300 μM with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. The m-CuS showing good stability and robust peroxidase catalytic activity was applied for the detection of glutathione in human urine samples.

Facile green synthesis of wasted hop-based zinc oxide nanozymes as peroxidase-like catalysts for colorimetric analysis

Hops are a common ingredient in beer production, and a considerable quantity of hops is usually discarded as a waste material once the brewing process is completed. Transforming this waste material into valuable nanomaterials offers a sustainable approach that has the potential to significantly mitigate environmental impact. Herein, a facile and green protocol for the production of zinc oxide nanozymes (ZnO NZs) using wasted hop extract (WHE) as a natural precursor was demonstrated. The process involved a hydrothermal synthesis method followed by a calcination step to form the final ZnO NZs. The results revealed that lupulon, the main β-acid in hops, particularly the phenolic hydroxy group, is primarily responsible for the biosynthesis of ZnO NZs. The WHE-ZnO NZs exhibited exceptional peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity and served as effective catalysts for the oxidation of 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Analysis of the catalytic mechanism revealed that the POD-like activity of these WHE-ZnO NZs originated from their ability to expedite the transfer of electrons between TMB and H2O2, resulting in the enzymatic kinetics following the standard Michaelis-Menten mechanism. Furthermore, we developed a straightforward and user-friendly colorimetric technique for detecting both H2O2 and glucose. By utilizing the WHE-ZnO NZs as POD-like catalysts, we achieved a linear detection range of 1-1000 μM and a limit of detection of 0.24 μM (S/N = 3) for H2O2 detection and a linear range of 0-100 mM and a detection limit of 16.73 μM (S/N = 3) for glucose detection. These results highlighted the potential applications of our waste-to-resource approach for nanozyme synthesis in the field of analytical chemistry.

Surface Oxygen Vacancy-Rich Co3O4 Nanowires as an Effective Catalyst of Luminol-H2O2 Chemiluminescence for Sensitive Immunoassay

Oxygen vacancy is one intrinsic defect in metal oxide materials. Interestingly, we herein found that the surface oxygen vacancy can significantly enhance the catalytic activity of Co3O4 nanowires in the luminol-H2O2 chemiluminescence (CL) reaction. 0.1 ng/mL Co3O4 nanowires containing 51.3% surface oxygen vacancies possessed ca. 2.5-fold catalytic activity of free Co2+ (the best metal ionic catalyst for the luminol-H2O2 CL reaction). The superior catalytic efficiency is attributed to the enhanced adsorption of H2O2 by surface oxygen vacancies, which in turn accelerates the cleavage of O-O bonds and generates •OH radicals. More importantly, the surface oxygen vacancy-rich Co3O4 nanowires retained about 90% catalytic activity after modification with antibodies. The surface oxygen vacancy-rich Co3O4 nanowires were used to label the secondary antibody, and one sandwich-type CL immunoassay of carcinoembryonic antigen was established. The detection limit was 0.3 ng/mL with a linear range of 1-10 ng/mL. This proof-of-concept work proves that surface oxygen vacancy-rich Co3O4 nanowires are suitable for labeling biomolecules in CL bioanalysis and biosensing.

TiO2/MWCNT/Nafion-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode as a Sensitive Voltammetric Sensor for the Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide

In this work we describe a straightforward approach for creating a nanocomposite comprising multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) using the hydrothermal technique, which is then characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) to assess its properties. Nafion is employed as a reticular agent for the nanocomposite on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE), creating the MWCNT/TiO2/Nafion/GCE system. The electrochemical behavior of the system was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, revealing its remarkable electrocatalytic activity for detecting hydrogen peroxide in water. The developed sensor showcased a broad linear response range of 14.00 to 120.00 μM, with a low detection limit of 4.00 μM. This electrochemical sensor provides a simple and highly sensitive method for detecting hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solutions and shows promising potential for various real-world applications, particularly in H2O2 monitoring.

pH-responsive dual-enzyme mimics based on hollow metal organic framework-derivatives β-Co(OH)2 for multiple colorimetric assays

A hollow metal organic framework derivative β-Co(OH)₂ has been prepared, which possesses oxidase and peroxidase-like activities. Oxidase-like activity is derived from the generation of free radicals, and peroxidase-like activity is related to the electron transfer process. Unlike other nanozymes with dual enzyme-like activities, β-Co(OH)₂ possesses pH-responsive enzyme-like activities, among which the β-Co(OH)₂ exhibits superior oxidase and peroxidase-like activities under pH of 4 and 6, respectively, which could avoid mutual interference between multiple enzymes. Based on the phenomenon that enzyme-like activities of β-Co(OH)₂ can catalyze colorless TMB to generate blue oxidized TMB (oxTMB) with absorption peak at 652 nm, the sensors integrating total antioxidant capacity and H₂O₂ quantification were developed. The oxidase-like activity-based colorimetric system has a sensitive response to ascorbic acid, Trolox, and gallic acid, in which the limit of detection for those antioxidant substances was 0.54 μM, 1.26 μM, and 14.34 μM, respectively. The sensors based on peroxidase-like activity had low limit of detection of 1.42 μM for H₂O₂ and a linear range of 5-1000 μM. The proposed method can be well applied to the detection of the total antioxidant capacity of kiwi, Vc tables, orange and tea extract with high accuracy, and H₂O₂ determination in milk and glucose detection in beverages with satisfactory recovery (within 97-106%).

Coacervate-Based Plexcitonic Assembly toward Peroxidase-like Activity and Ultrasensitive Glucose Sensing

Inbuilt catalytic centers anchored inside the confined architecture of artificial nanoreactors have gained tremendous attention owing to their vast applicability in various catalytic transformations. However, designing homogeneously distributed catalytic units with exposed surfaces in confined environment is a challenging task. Here, we have utilized quantum dot (QD)-embedded coacervate droplets (QD-Ds) as a confined compartment for the in situ synthesis of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) without any additional reducing agent. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images reveal homogeneous distribution of 5.6 ± 0.2 nm-sized Au NPs inside the QD-Ds (Au@QD-Ds). The in situ synthesized Au NPs are found to be stable over a period of 28 days without any agglomeration. Control experiments reveal that the free surface carboxylic acid groups of embedded QDs simultaneously act as reducing and stabilizing agents for Au NPs. Notably, these Au@QD-Ds exhibit superior peroxidase-like activity compared to bulk aqueous Au NPs and Au@QDs under similar experimental conditions. The observed peroxidase-like activity follows the classical Michaelis-Menten model inside the Au@QD-Ds via the fast electron-transfer pathway. The enhanced peroxidase-like activity has been explained by considering confinement, mass action, and the ligand-free surface of embedded Au NPs. The present plexcitonic nanocomposites exhibit excellent recyclability over several consecutive cycles without any compromise in their catalytic activity. Finally, a cascade reaction with glucose oxidase (GOx)-loaded Au@QD-Ds have been utilized for colorimetric detection of glucose with a limit of detection of 272 nM in solution as well as on filter paper. The present work highlights a facile and robust methodology for the fabrication of optically active functional hybrid plexcitonic assemblies and may find importance in various fields including bioanalytical chemistry and optoelectronics.

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 encapsulating carbon nanodots and silver nanoparticles for fluorescent detection of H2O2 and glucose

In this study, a novel fluorescent biosensor is developed for the detection of H₂O₂ and glucose based on Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanocomposites. ZIF-8 encapsulating carbon nanodot (CD) exhibits bright fluorescence emission. After further loading of AgNP, the fluorescence is quenched, which is mainly based on the excited electron transfer from CD to AgNP. Besides, the excitation wavelength of CD falls within the adsorption range of AgNP, which leads to efficient inhibition of the excitation energy. The as-prepared AgNP-CD-ZIF-8 nanocomposites can be utilized as a highly sensitive platform for the analysis of H₂O₂ and glucose. In the presence of glucose, H₂O₂ can be generated by the catalysis of glucose oxidase (GOD), which induces the etching of AgNP and subsequent recovery of CD-ZIF-8 fluorescence. This "turn on" biosensor can be applied for facile and convenient quantification of H₂O₂. It can also be further extended to detect glucose in real samples after combining specific catalytic effect of GOD. The analytical performances are excellent, which demonstrates great potential for practical utility.

Pd nanoparticles stabilized by bitter gourd polysaccharide with peroxidase properties for H2O2 detection

The development of nanozymes using noble metal nanoparticles to replace natural peroxidase in bio-related detection has been gain great interest. Noble metal nanoparticles with small size have large specific surface area. However, small noble metal nanoparticles tend to aggregate without stabilizer. In this paper, small Pd nanoparticles (3-6 nm) stabilized by bitter gourd polysaccharide (Pd_n-BGP NPs) were prepared by using bitter gourd polysaccharide as reducing agent and stabilizing agent. Pd₂₅-BGP NPs had peroxidase-like catalytic property. And the catalytic kinetics of Pd₂₅-BGP NPs towards substrates conformed to the Michaelis-Menten equation. Furthermore, a method was established to detect H₂O₂ using Pd₂₅-BGP NPs. The linear range and detection limit of this method was 20-320 μM and 2.04 μM, respectively. Finally, Pd₂₅-BGP NPs had good biocompatibility when the concentration was less than 80 μg/mL. The prepared Pd nanoparticles with high stability showed their good prospect in H₂O₂ detection.

One-Pot Preparation of Imidazole-Ring-Modified Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanozymes for Colorimetric Glucose Detection

Nanozymes are highly desired to overcome the shortcomings of natural enzymes, such as low stability, high cost and difficult storage during biosensing applications. Herein, by imitating the structure of natural enzymes, we propose a one-pot annealing process to synthesis imidazole-ring-modified graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄-Im) with enhanced peroxidase-like activity. g-C₃N₄-Im shows enhanced peroxidase-like activity by 46.5 times compared to unmodified g-C₃N₄. Furthermore, imidazole rings of g-C₃N₄-Im make it possible to anchor Cu(II) active sites on it to produce g-C₃N₄-Im-Cu, which shows a further increase in peroxidase-like activity by three times. It should be noted that the as-prepared g-C₃N₄-Im-Cu could show obvious peroxidase-like activity over a broad range of pH values and at a low temperature (5 °C). The ultrahigh peroxidase-like activity is attributed to the electronic effect of imidazole rings and the active sites of Cu(II) for ·OH production. Based on the enhanced peroxidase-like activity, a H₂O₂ and glucose biosensor was developed with a high sensitivity (limit of detection, 10 nM) and selectivity. Therefore, the biosensor shows potential for applications in diabetic diagnoses in clinical practice.

Sensitive colorimetric assay of hydrogen peroxide and glucose in humoral samples based on the enhanced peroxidase-mimetic activity of NH2-MIL-88-derived FeS2@CN nanocomposites compared to its precursors

By employing NH₂-MIL-88 as a template, we synthesized the intermediate Fe@CN under high-temperature calcination and further fabricated the FeS₂@CN nanocomposites in the presence of sulfur powder. Under varying temperatures (300-600 °C) and Fe@CN-to-S ratios (1:3-6), FeS₂@CN_500-5 nanocomposites had the highest peroxidase-mimetic activity. Under optimized conditions (incubation temperature 40 °C; solution pH 4.0 and nanocomposite concentration 10 μg/mL; 652-nm absorption), the Michaelis-Menten constant (K_m) of FeS₂@CN was much lower than that of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), therefore demonstrating that it had a higher affinity for both chromogenic substrates than conventional HRP. The limits of detection for H₂O₂ and glucose were 0.15 and 0.30 μmol/L, respectively, and the recoveries for glucose were 91.8-103% with RSDs <5.2%. The novelty of this study lies in (1) the FeS₂@CN was confirmed to possess stronger enzyme-mimetic activity than its precursors (NH₂-MIL-88 and Fe@CN); (2) the enhanced activity resulted from the unsaturated sites of N and S doping and the plentiful defects on the porous carbon surface; and (3) free radical trapping experiments evidenced that •OH played a major role in the catalytic reaction, while h⁺ and •O₂^- simultaneously participated in the catalytic process. These convincing performance metrics lead us to postulate that the FeS₂@CN-based colorimetric biosensor provides a promising approach for several real-world applications, such as point-of-care diagnosis and workplace health evaluations.

Nanozyme-based colorimetric biosensor with a systemic quantification algorithm for noninvasive glucose monitoring

Diabetes mellitus accompanies an abnormally high glucose level in the bloodstream. Early diagnosis and proper glycemic management of blood glucose are essential to prevent further progression and complications. Biosensor-based colorimetric detection has progressed and shown potential in portable and inexpensive daily assessment of glucose levels because of its simplicity, low-cost, and convenient operation without sophisticated instrumentation. Colorimetric glucose biosensors commonly use natural enzymes that recognize glucose and chromophores that detect enzymatic reaction products. However, many natural enzymes have inherent defects, limiting their extensive application. Recently, nanozyme-based colorimetric detection has drawn attention due to its merits including high sensitivity, stability under strict reaction conditions, flexible structural design with low-cost materials, and adjustable catalytic activities. This review discusses various nanozyme materials, colorimetric analytic methods and mechanisms, recent machine learning based analytic methods, quantification systems, applications and future directions for monitoring and managing diabetes.

2D/3D-Shaped Fe0.8Ni0.2S2/ZIF-67 as a Nanozyme for Rapid Measurement of H2O2 and Ascorbic Acid with a Low Limit of Detection

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can be used as ideal artificial nanozymes for an open structure to transfer substances and products. The nanozymic mechanism of MOFs needs further investigation for wide application. In this manuscript, no peroxidase-like activity was found for ZIF-67 (a kind of MOF), however, it enhanced the peroxidase-like activity of the Fe_0.8Ni_0.2S₂/ZIF-67 composite, in which Fe_0.8Ni_0.2S₂ was the active composition. The catalytic constant (K_cat) is higher at 1.98 (for TMB) and 2.08 (for H₂O₂) times and the catalytic efficiency (K_cat/K_m) is higher at 3.13 (for TMB) and 2.67 (for H₂O₂) times, than those of Fe_0.8Ni_0.2S₂. The K_m value decreased about 85 times (for H₂O₂) for Fe_0.8Ni_0.2S₂/ZIF-67 than that of horseradish peroxidase (natural enzyme). The mechanism was proposed. The limit of detection of H₂O₂ for Fe_0.8Ni_0.2S₂/ZIF-67 is 0.039 μM, which is lower by about 18.2 times than that of Fe_0.8Ni_0.2S₂. Simultaneously, Fe_0.8Ni_0.2S₂/ZIF-67 was used to rapidly detect ascorbic acid for only 1.0 min in food monitoring. This study may be important to design a new kind of nanozyme.

Pt-embodiment ZIF-67-derived nanocage as enhanced immunoassay for infectious virus detection

A facile and general strategy has been employed to develop highly-active nanozyme for immunoassay purposes. The hollow nanostructure of the Co₃O₄ nanocages (NCs) was anchoring the platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) enclosed by the exposed oxides framework nd formed PtNPs@Co₃O₄ NCs. The embodiment of PtNPs was considered an ideal hybrid nanozyme that efficiently catalyzed the oxidation of the substrate molecules with enhanced activity. The PtNPs@Co₃O₄ NCs were revisited and repurposed on showing its nanozyme's activity with optimization done for the immunoassay platform. The embodiment of 32.44% Pt in the hollow nanostructures demonstrated the highest signal-to-noise responses in the immunoassay. In addition, the stepwise analysis highlighted the enhancement factor of the nanocages' catalytic mechanism. Based on their catalytic activity, these nanocages have been demonstrated to enable sub-femtogram level biosensing of norovirus-like particles (NoV-LPs) with highly selective signals in the capture-detect immunoassay format. The detection limit of the prepared immunoassay achieved 33.52 viral NoV copies/mL of the detection limit, which is 321-folds lower magnitude of the commercial ELISA. This nanocage's enhanced synergic catalytic properties could have great potential applications, including catalysis, biological labeling, and bioassays.

Visible-Light Photocatalytic Chlorite Activation Mediated by Oxygen Vacancy Abundant Nd-Doped BiVO4 for Efficient Chlorine Dioxide Generation and Pollutant Degradation

Visible-light photocatalytic chlorite activation has emerged as an efficient oxidation process for micropollutant elimination. However, the in-depth mechanism of chlorite activation is not understood. In this study, using neodymium-doped bismuth vanadate (Nd_xBi_1-xVO_4-δ) as a model catalyst, we describe the oxygen vacancy (OV)-mediated chlorite activation process for efficient ClO₂ generation and cephalexin (CPX) degradation. DFT calculations and in situ DRIFTS suggest that the OV-introduced surface -OH serves as the Brønsted acidic center for chlorite adsorption. The OV-mediated chlorite activation involves multistep reactions that surface hydroxylation and proton transfer from the surface -OH to chlorite, forming metastable chlorous acid (HClO₂) and further disproportionating to ClO₂. As compared with vis-photocatalysis, the vis-photocatalysis coupled with chlorite activation (vis/chlorite) technique exhibits superior performance in antibiotic degradation and achieves efficient microorganism inactivation. This work uncovers the role of OVs on chlorite activation and provides a rational strategy for designing visible-light-driven oxidation techniques in water and wastewater treatment.

Enhancing enzymatic activity of Mn@Co3O4 nanosheets as mimetic nanozyme for colorimetric assay of ascorbic acid

In nanozyme-based assays, increasing enzymatic activity is very desirable for enhancing sensitivity and lowering the detection limit. In this study, novel Mn doped cobalt oxide nanosheets (Mn@Co₃O₄ NSs) were synthesized by hydrothermal process. The obtained Mn@Co₃O₄ possessed enhanced dual-enzyme mimetic, oxidase and peroxidase, and can catalytically oxidize of 3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), to a blue product of oxidized TMB. The enzyme kinetics were well-described mathematically using a common Michaelis-Menten and Lineweaver Burk model. The enzyme kinetics constant (K_m) was found to be 0.15 mM, which is relatively low comparing with pure Co₃O₄ nanosheets (0.35 mM) and natural enzyme HRP (0.434 mM). Therefore, the efficient colorimetric method was achieved for determination of H₂O₂ and ascorbic acid. The limit of detection (LOD) of H₂O₂ was 8.0 μM and the linear range was 20-200 μM based on direct turn on of the peroxidase-like activity of Mn@Co₃O₄. While, for ascorbic acid detection based on turn-off approach, the linearity range for the ascorbic acid was 1-8 μM with LOD of 0.4 μM. Moreover, the colorimetric system exhibited good stability and selectivity toward the detection of ascorbic acid effectively in real samples (vitamin C tablets) with satisfactorily accuracy and precision.

Ascorbate oxidase enabling glucometer readout for portable detection of hydrogen peroxide

A rapid, portable, and cost-effective method using personal glucose meter (PGM) for quantitative analysis of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was established based on ascorbate oxidase (AAO)-catalyzed reaction for the first time. Ascorbic acid (AA) can rapidly reduce ferricyanide (K₃[Fe(CN)₆]) to ferrocyanide (K₄[Fe(CN)₆]) in the glucose test strip and transfer electron to the electrode to generating a PGM detectable signal. Thus, the concentration of AA can be directly determined by the PGM as simple as measuring the blood glucose. On the other hand, AAO can catalyze the reduction of H₂O₂ and produce an enzyme-peroxide complex, which decreases the yields of dehydroascorbic acid formed by the oxidation of AA, resulting in the increase in PGM detectable signal of residual ascorbic acid (re-AA). Therefore, the concentration of H₂O₂ is proportional to the concentration of re-AA. After optimization of the experimental conditions, the developed method can be used to detect H₂O₂ at linear range of 2.5-5 × 10³ μM with the quantification limit of 2.5 μM. In addition, the satisfactory spiked recoveries (95.3-108.9 %) of real samples (i.e., tap water, contact lens solution, medical hydrogen peroxide, and normal human serum) confirm its feasibility for practical applications. In short, this study provides a feasible PGM-based method for H₂O₂ detection with simple operations.

Highly effective and stable MWCNT/WO3 nanocatalyst for ammonia gas sensing, photodegradation of ciprofloxacin and peroxidase mimic activity

The present study discusses the ammonia (NH₃) sensing characteristics, photocatalytic degradation of emerging pollutants, and peroxidase mimic activity of multifunctional multi-walled carbon nanotube-tungsten oxide nanocomposite (MWCNT/WO₃) prepared by conventional solvothermal method. The prepared MWCNT/WO₃ nanocomposites were characterized by various analytical techniques like XRD, Raman, XPS, N₂ adsorption, FESEM with elemental analysis and diffuse reflection spectroscopy. The prepared 1% MWCNT/WO₃ nanocomposite showed better gas sensing performance for the NH₃ vapors at 10-100 ppm than the pristine WO₃ and the response and recover time of about 13 and 15s towards 20 ppm of ammonia (NH₃) was achieved. The photocatalytic activity of MWCNT/WO₃ towards organic dyes such as Rhodamine-B (Rh.B) methylene blue (MB) and pharmaceutical compound ciprofloxacin (CIP) were studied and achieved above 90% degradation at 160 min for CIP and 60 min for MB and Rho-B respectively. The radicle scavenging activity for MWCNT/WO₃ nanocomposite showed the predominant formation of hydroxyl (OH^•) and superoxide radicle (^•O^2-). Further, the MWCNT/WO₃ nanocomposite showed peroxidase mimic activity and exhibit the limit of detection (LOD) of about 321 nM. From the overall analysis, MWCNT/WO₃ hybrid seems to have potential characteristics that can be explored for multiple functional applications.

Hierarchical Co(OH)2 Dendrite Enriched with Oxygen Vacancies for Promoted Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction

It is critical to develop efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts with high catalytic properties for overall water splitting. Electrocatalysts with enriched vacancies are crucial for enhancing the catalytic activity of OER through defect engineering. We demonstrated the dealloying method in a reducing alkaline solution using the Co₅Al₉₅ alloy foil as a precursor to produce a new oxygen-vacancy-rich cobalt hydroxide (O_V−Co(OH)₂) hierarchical dendrite. The as-synthesised O_V−Co(OH)₂ showed superior electrocatalytic activities toward OER when compared to pristine cobalt hydroxide (p–Co(OH)₂), which had a low onset overpotential of only 242 mV and a small Tafel slope of 64.9 mV dec⁻¹. Additionally, for the high surface area provided by the hierarchical dendrite, both p–Co(OH)₂ and O_V−Co(OH)₂ showed a superior activity as compared to commercial catalysts. Furthermore, they retained good catalytic properties without remarkably decaying at an overpotential of 350 mV for 12 h. The as-made O_V−Co(OH)₂ has prospective applications as an anode electrocatalyst in electrochemical water-splitting technologies with the advantages of superior OER performances, large surface area and ease of preparation.

Preparation of a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor based on g-C3N4/MWO4 (M: Cu, Mn, ‎Co, Ni) composite for the determination of H2O2‎

‎ Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has a significant effect on physiological proceedings. In the ‎present research, a g-C3N4-based nanocomposite g-C3N4/MWO4(M: Cu, Mn, Co, Ni) was ‎prepared via the precipitation-calcination method. A...

Colorimetric detection of glucose by a hybrid nanomaterial based on amplified peroxidase-like activity of ferrosoferric oxide modified with gold–platinum heterodimer

An easy and sensitive colorimetric sensor based on the Fe3O4@Au–Pt hybrid nanomaterial was constructed for H2O2 and glucose detection.

Peroxidase-mimetic activity of a nanozyme with uniformly dispersed Fe3O4 NPs supported by mesoporous graphitized carbon for determination of glucose

A Fe₃O₄/mesoporous graphitized carbon (Fe₃O₄/m-GC) composite was prepared through a facile calcination method with iron-based metal-organic frameworks (Fe-MOFs) as a sacrificial template. After carbonization, the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the mesoporous carbon support, resulting in spatial structural stability. The mesoporous carbon support obtained was highly graphitized and exhibited eminent electrical conductivity, which accelerated the electron transfer between the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles by Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox cycles and m-GC by C = C_sp2/C-C_sp3 redox cycles, leading to the excellent peroxidase-mimetic activity of Fe₃O₄/m-GC. K_m values for tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and H₂O₂ were 26.8 and 15.8 times lower than that of natural horseradish peroxidase, respectively. Taking advantage of the peroxidase-mimetic activity of Fe₃O₄/m-GC, a colorimetric assay was fabricated for detecting glucose in the range 0.5 ~ 200 μM, with a limit of detection of 0.24 μM. Fig 1 A Schematic illustration of the preparation process of Fe₃O₄/m-GC, B schematic illustration of a proposed synergistic catalytic mechanism of TMB oxidation by Fe₃O₄/m-GC.

Porous Co3O4 nanodisks as robust peroxidase mimetics in an ultrasensitive colorimetric sensor for the rapid detection of multiple heavy metal residues in environmental water samples

The current method for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of multiple heavy metals in environmental water still face challenge. Herein, the porous Co₃O₄ nanodisks with robust peroxidase-mimicking activity were prepared, and its catalytic activity can be significantly inhibited by the heavy metals like Cd(II), Hg(II), Pb(II) and As, which makes us to establish an ultrasensitive and rapid colorimetric sensor for the detection of multiple heavy metals. Further investigation reveals the anticompetitive inhibition effect of heavy metals on peroxidase-mimicking activity. The colorimetric sensor displays excellent sensitivity and selectivity, and the limits of detection (LOD) for Cd(II), Hg(II), Pb(II) and As are 0.085 μg·L^-1, 0.19 μg·L^-1, 0.2 μg·L^-1 and 0.156 μg·L^-1, respectively. Notably, the absorbance variation will be greater than 0.5 as the concentration of heavy metals exceeds 5 μg·L^-1, which can be clearly discriminated by the naked eyes. Moreover, the average recovery range of heavy metals in actual water samples is from 86.9% to 98.3%. The above results indicate that the proposed sensor exhibits excellent practical applicability for the rapid and ultrasensitive detection of multiple harmful heavy metals in several environmental water samples, which has potential bright application in protecting the environment and human health.

Trending Technology of Glucose Monitoring during COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges in Personalized Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to spread rapidly, and patients with diabetes are at risk of experiencing rapid progression and poor prognosis for appropriate treatment. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), which includes accurately tracking fluctuations in glucose levels without raising the risk of coronavirus exposure, becomes an important strategy for the self-management of diabetes during this pandemic, efficiently contributing to the diabetes care and the fight against COVID-19. Despite being less accurate than direct blood glucose monitoring, wearable noninvasive systems can encourage patient adherence by guaranteeing reliable results through high correlation between blood glucose levels and glucose concentrations in various other biofluids. This review highlights the trending technologies of glucose sensors during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2020) that have been developed to make a significant contribution to effective management of diabetes and prevention of coronavirus spread, from off-body systems to wearable on-body CGM devices, including nanostructure and sensor performance in various biofluids. The advantages and disadvantages of various human biofluids for use in glucose sensors are also discussed. Furthermore, the challenges faced by wearable CGM sensors with respect to personalized healthcare during and after the pandemic are deliberated to emphasize the potential future directions of CGM devices for diabetes management.

Mitochondria-targeted photoacoustic probe for imaging of hydrogen peroxide in inflamed mouse model

In this chapter, we gave a brief introduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and its existing analytical methods and described the need of mitochondria-targeted photoacoustic (PA) probe for H₂O₂ detection in vivo. Then we provided the detailed protocols for the design and characterization of a mitochondria-targeted PA probe (TPP-HCy-BOH) to visualize H₂O₂in vivo, which was developed in our previous work. Compared to control probe without mitochondria-targeted ability (HCy-BOH), TPP-HCy-BOH could efficiently accumulate in mitochondria and activate its PA signals toward overproduced H₂O₂ in inflamed mouse model with higher PA sensitivity.

Detection of enrofloxacin by flow injection chemiluminescence immunoassay based on cobalt hydroxide nanozyme

The emergence and development of low-cost and high-efficiency nanozymes are promising to replace natural enzymes promoting the application of chemiluminescence immunoassays. Herein, a rapid and highly sensitive flow injection chemiluminescence immunoassay based on cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)₂) nanozyme was established to detect enrofloxacin (ENR) residues in food. In this system, Co(OH)₂ nanosheets act as nanozymes to catalyze and amplify the chemiluminescence signal of the luminol-PIP-H₂O₂ system, as well as a carrier for immobilizing antibodies to form stable immunoprobes. In addition, carboxyl resin beads with good stability and biocompatibility were used as the base of the immunosensor to carry more coating antigens, based on the principle of competitive immunity and to achieve the rapid detection of ENR. Under optimal conditions, the linear working range is 0.0001 ~ 1000 ng/mL, and the limit of detection (LOD) is 0.041 pg/mL (S/N = 3). The method has been successfully applied to the analysis of aquatic products and poultry food. A non-enzyme immunosensor using Co(OH)₂ nanosheets as antibody-conjugated carriers and peroxidase mimics for catalytic amplification of the chemiluminescence signal of luminol and using carboxyl resin beads as platform was designed to detect ENR residues in food.

Synthesis of Au–Cu Alloy Nanoparticles as Peroxidase Mimetics for H2O2 and Glucose Colorimetric Detection

The detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is essential in many research fields, including medical diagnosis, food safety, and environmental monitoring. In this context, Au-based bimetallic alloy nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention as an alternative to enzymes due to their superior catalytic activity. In this study, we report a coreduction synthesis of gold–copper (Au–Cu) alloy nanoparticles in aqueous phase. By controlling the amount of Au and Cu precursors, the Au/Cu molar ratio of the nanoparticles can be tuned from 1/0.1 to 1/2. The synthesized Au–Cu alloy nanoparticles show good peroxidase-like catalytic activity and high selectivity for the H2O2-mediated oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB, colorless) to TMB oxide (blue). The Au–Cu nanoparticles with an Au/Cu molar ratio of 1/2 exhibit high catalytic activity in the H2O2 colorimetric detection, with a limit of detection of 0.141 μM in the linear range of 1–10 μM and a correlation coefficient R2 = 0.991. Furthermore, the Au–Cu alloy nanoparticles can also efficiently detect glucose in the presence of glucose oxidase (GOx), and the detection limit is as low as 0.26 μM.

Electrochemical/visual dual-readout aptasensor for Ochratoxin A detection integrated into a miniaturized paper-based analytical device

Development of portable, sensitive and reliable devices for Ochratoxin A (OTA) detection is highly demanded, especially for resource-limited regions. Herein, a novel paper-based analytical device (PAD) is designed through wax printing and screen-printed technologies, which integrates sample flowing, electrode modification, cleaning and electrochemical (EC)/colorimetric signal output. To greatly enhance the detection sensitivity, we synthesized a chitosan functionalized MoS₂-Au@Pt (Ch-MoS₂-Au@Pt) via electrostatic self-assembly, and used it to immobilize the label aptamer (apta₂) for signal regulation and amplification. Concretely, with the addition of analytes, the Ch-MoS₂-Au@Pt-apta₂ could be combined on the sensing interface by specific biorecognition and catalyzed reduction of H₂O₂, resulting in a remarkable EC response. Meanwhile, the released hydroxyl radicals (·OH) flowed to the visualization zone and promoted the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine for colorimetric detection. Consequently, the dual-mode PAD achieved acceptable prediction and accurate analysis in the range of 0.1-200 ng mL^-1 and 1 × 10^-4-200 ng mL^-1 by matching the visual and EC signal intensity, respectively. Compared with traditional single-mode sensor for OTA, the proposed dual-mode aptasensor featuring independent signal conversion and readout, not only avoided the false-positive signal associated with detection condition and operation, but also enlarged the detection ranges and improved the sensitivity. Furthermore, the consistency of EC/colorimetric assay was validated in real OTA samples. Overall, this work provided a portable, cost-effective, sensitive and visualized aptasensor platform, which could be extended to various other mycotoxins in the field of food safety.

The intrinsic enzyme mimetic activity of platinum oxide for biosensing of glucose

Given the enzymatic properties and the oxidized surface of Pt nanomaterials, we demonstrated the intrinsic oxidase-like and peroxidase-like activities of platinum oxide (PtO₂). The surface clean PtO₂ nanoparticles with high water dispersibility were synthesized by a simple and green method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) results demonstrated that the prepared PtO₂ nanoparticles mainly consisted of Pt (Ⅳ) state without Pt(0) chemical state. The enzymatic activity of PtO₂ nanoparticles was verified by catalytic oxidation of several chromogenic substrates. Catalytic mechanism analysis suggested that PtO₂ nanopartiles acted as peroxidase and oxidase enzyme mimics by promoting the generation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS). By combining glucose oxidase, a colorimetric assay for glucose detection was developed with the limit of detection of 10.8 μM. The successful application of the proposed detection assay in human serum samples demonstrated the promising practical application in clinical diagnosis, pharmacy and food.

Cobalt Phosphide (Co2P) with Notable Electrocatalytic Activity Designed for Sensitive and Selective Enzymeless Bioanalysis of Hydrogen Peroxide

In this work, cobalt phosphide nanoparticles (Co₂P NPs) were prepared by simple and mild hydrothermal method without the use of harmful phosphorous source. The morphological structure and surface component of Co₂P were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Considering the excellent electrocatalytic reduction activity and good electrical conductivity of transition-metal phosphide, we fabricated Co₂P NPs on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate (Co₂P/ITO) for H₂O₂ detection. The Co₂P/ITO transducer displayed a rapid amperometric response less than 5 s, a broader response range from 0.001 to 10.0 mM and a low detection limit of 0.65 μM. In addition, the non-enzymatic Co₂P/ITO sensor showed outstanding selectivity, reproducibility, repeatability and stability, all of which qualified the Co₂P/ITO electrode for quite a reliable and promising biosensor for H₂O₂ sensing.

Partial sulfidation for constructing Cu2O–CuS heterostructures realizing enhanced electrochemical glucose sensing

A Cu₂O–CuS heterostructure was constructed to elucidate the relationship between heterojunctions and electrochemical glucose sensing.

Hg2+ Significantly Enhancing the Peroxidase-Like Activity of H2TCPP/ZnS/CoS Nanoperoxidases by Inducing the Formation of Surface-Cation Defects and Application for the Sensitive and Selective Detection of Hg2+ in the Environment

Exploring excellent peroxidase mimics with enhanced peroxidase-like activity is important to the construction of a fast, low-cost, and convenient colorimetric sensing platform for heavy ions. In this work, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (H₂TCPP) was first used to modify ZnS/CoS and make it show better peroxidase-like activity. The metal-cation vacancies generated by Hg²⁺ contacting H₂TCPP/ZnS/CoS further stimulate the catalytic activity. It is reported that the addition of Hg²⁺ usually causes a decrease of the peroxidase-like activity of metal sulfides. Oppositely, in our work, Hg²⁺ can trigger the colorimetric signal amplification because of lots of metal-cation vacancies generated on the surface of the nanocomposites (bimetallic sulfides). The peroxidase-like activity of ZnS/CoS was evaluated by virtue of the chromogenic substrate 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) from colorless to blue in 3 min. The enhanced catalytic activity of H₂TCPP/ZnS/CoS was attributed to lots of active sites from the metal-cation defects on the surface of H₂TCPP/ZnS/CoS as well as the synergistic effect of porphyrin molecules and ZnS/CoS. The adsorption behavior of H₂O₂ on the H₂TCPP/ZnS/CoS surface with defects was studied by density functional theory calculation. Thus, a colorimetric sensing platform based on Hg²⁺ trigger signal amplification has been successfully constructed, which can be used to sensitively and selectively determine Hg²⁺ in environmental samples.

Fabrication of FeS2/SiO2 Double Mesoporous Hollow Spheres as an Artificial Peroxidase and Rapid Determination of H2O2 and Glutathione

Nanozymes as one of artificial enzymes show many advantages than natural enzymes. The high Michaelis-Menten constant (K_m) to H₂O₂ is the drawback for nanozymes, which means a high H₂O₂ concentration to oxidize 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). For this problem, FeS₂/SiO₂ double mesoporous hollow spheres (DMHSs) were first synthesized as an artificial peroxidase through a solid reaction. The experimental results demonstrate that Fe₃O₄ vulcanization and DMHS formation were effective strategies to enhance affinity to H₂O₂ for the nanozyme. The K_m of FeS₂/SiO₂ DMHSs (H₂O₂ as the substrate) is 18-fold smaller than that of FeS₂ nanoparticles (NPs). The catalytic efficiency (K_cat/K_m) of FeS₂/SiO₂ DMHSs is about 16 times higher than that of FeS₂ NPs. FeS₂/SiO₂ DMHSs can be used as a nanozyme to sensitively and rapidly detect H₂O₂ and glutathione within 1 min at room temperature.