High-performance electrochemical enzyme sensor for organophosphate pesticide detection using modified metal-organic framework sensing platforms

Abstract

A practical electrochemical biosensor with high sensitivity was developed for detecting organophosphorus (OP). Initially, Ce metal was introduced into an UiO-66-template to form Ce/UiO-66. Later, graphene oxide (GO), carbon black (CB) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were separately added to Ce/UiO-66 to compare the effect of different carbon-based material types on the performance of the biosensor. Exclusively, Ce/UiO-66/MWCNTs with a Ce (7%) and MWCNT (30%) matrix was found to not only load more acetylcholinesterase (AChE) onto vacant sites but also increase electron transfer and decrease the number of diffusion pathways between the thiocholine and electrode surface. Moreover, the appropriate oxophilicity of Ce coupled with the high surface area and good conductivity of MWCNTs in the UiO-66 structure revealed a high affinity to acetylthiocholine chloride (ATCl) and possible catalysis of the hydrolysis of ATCl with a Michaelis-Menten constant of 0.258 mM. This biosensor, under optimal conditions, demonstrated a rapid and sensitive detection of paraoxon over a wide linear range of 0.01–150 nM, with a low detection limit of 0.004 nM. As a result, the AChE/Ce/UiO-66/MWCNTs/GCE biosensor can be employed in laboratory and field experiments to determine paraoxon levels.