Functionalized Conducting Polymer as an Enzyme-Immobilizing Substrate:  An Amperometric Glutamate Microbiosensor for in Vivo Measurements

Abstract

The functionalized conducting polymer (CP) of 5, 2':5', 2' '-terthiophene-3'-carboxylic acid on a platinum microelectrode was prepared through the electropolymerization process using cyclic voltammetry and was used as a substrate for the immobilization of enzymes. The nanoparticles of the CP were obtained at a high scan rate in the cyclic voltammetric experiment. A needle-type amperometric glutamate microbiosensor based on the covalent immobilization of glutamate oxidase (GlOx) onto the CP layer was fabricated for in vivo measurements. The surfaces of the CP/Pt and GlOx/CP/Pt were characterized by QCM, ESCA, and AFM. The biosensor efficiently detected glutamate through the oxidation of enzymatically generated H2O2 at approximately +0.45 V versus Ag/AgCl. Various experimental parameters, such as pH, temperature, and the applied potential in the detection step were optimized. The interference effects from other biological compounds were examined, and ascorbate and dopamine interferences were observed, which were completely minimized by coimmobilizing ascorbate oxidase and by coating the sensor surface with a cationic polymer, polyethyleneimine. A linear calibration plot for glutamate was obtained between 0.2 and 100 microM with a detection limit of 0.1 +/- 0.03 microM. The proposed glutamate microbiosensor was successfully used for in vivo monitoring of the extracellular glutamate released by cocaine stimulation.