Carbon nanospikes have improved sensitivity and antifouling properties for adenosine, hydrogen peroxide, and histamine

• Published in: Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry 2023-10, Vol.415 (24), p.6039-6050
• Main Authors: Zhao, He, Shrestha, Kailash, Hensley, Dale K., Venton, B. Jill
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenosine; Analysis; Analytical Chemistry; Antifouling; Antifouling substances; Biochemistry; Biofouling; Biofouling - prevention & control; Brain slice preparation; Carbon; Carbon - chemistry; Carbon compounds; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Dopamine; Electrochemistry; Electrodes; Food Science; Histamine; Hydrogen Peroxide; Identification and classification; Laboratory Medicine; Mechanical properties; Microelectrodes; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Oxidation; Polymers; Research Paper; Sensitivity enhancement; Surface Properties; Surface roughness
• ISSN: 1618-2642; 1618-2650; 1618-2650
• DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04875-5

Carbon nanospikes (CNSs) are a new nanomaterial that has enhanced surface roughness and surface oxide concentration, increasing the sensitivity for dopamine detection. However, CNS-modified electrodes (CNSMEs) have not been characterized for other neurochemicals, particularly those with higher oxidation potentials. The purpose of this study was to evaluate CNSMEs for the detection of adenosine, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and histamine. The sensitivity increased with CNSs, and signals at CNSMEs were about 3.3 times higher than CFMEs. Normalizing for surface area differences using background currents, CNSMEs show an increased signal of 4.8 times for adenosine, 1.5 times for H 2 O 2 , and 2 times for histamine. CNSMEs promoted the formation of secondary products for adenosine and histamine, which enables differentiation from other analytes with similar oxidation potentials. CNSs also selectively enhance the sensitivity for adenosine and histamine compared to H 2 O 2 . A scan rate test reveals that adenosine is more adsorption-controlled at CNS electrodes than CFMEs. CNSMEs are antifouling for histamine, with less fouling because the polymers formed after histamine electrooxidation do not adsorb due to an elevated number of edge planes. CNSMEs were useful for detecting each analyte applied in brain slices. Because of the hydrophilic surface compared to CFMEs, CNSMEs also have reduced biofouling when used in tissue. Therefore, CNSMEs are useful for tissue measurements of adenosine, hydrogen peroxide, and histamine with high selectivity and low fouling. Graphical abstract