Enzyme-conjugated ZnO nanocrystals for collisional quenching-based glucose sensing

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36 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A simple approach to sensitive glucose detection has been developed based upon variation in the fluorescence of ZnO nanocrystals with glucose concentration. ZnO nanocrystals were successfully synthesized in wurtzite structure using a surfactant, mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) via the polyol method. MUA molecules not only served as a template for the synthesis of spherical-shape nanoparticles but also provided water solubility and biocompatibility due to its carboxyl group. Carboxyl-terminated ZnO nanocrystals were activated by esterification of n-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (Sulfo-NHS) catalyzed by water-soluble 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC). Glucose oxidase (GOx), an enzyme could be immobilized to ZnO nanocrystals by replacing NHS with amino-acid groups of GOx. ZnO-MUA-GOx bioconjugates showed a decrease in the photoluminescence (PL) intensity by appearance of glucose molecules due to the collisional quenching by hydrogen peroxide generated from enzymatic oxidation reaction of glucose. PL intensity showed a linear decrease with glucose concentration from 1.6 to 33.3 mM, which fully covers the physiological glucose level. ZnO-MUA-GOx bioconjugates showed a detection limit lower than 0.33 mM and a response time less than 5 s. They also revealed distinct specificity against cholesterol molecules.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2859-2865
Number of pages7
JournalCrystEngComm
Volume14
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012 Apr 21

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Chemistry(all)
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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