BASi is a drug development firm providing contract research services and unique products for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries.

The electrochemical determination of hydrogen peroxide has been used to selectively measure acetylcholine, choline, glucose and lactate in diverse biological samples. The analyte is isolated using a microbore or cartridge chromatography column. An analyte-specific, oxidase enzyme bound to a post-column immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER) produces H2O2 which is then detected downstream at the surface of a working electrode in the electrochemical detector.
Platinum electrodes are frequently utilized because they are more selective for H2O2 than standard glassy carbon electrodes. A glassy carbon electrode would have to operate at a much higher applied potential to detect peroxide and would also respond to all of the other electroactive components in the sample. However, platinum requires long equilibration times after cleaning or system changes.
The new wired enzyme electrode offers several advantages vs. the platinum electrode. It exhibits improved sensitivity, better detection limits and improved operational stability. Initial stabilization of the background current is significantly faster than for a conventional platinum electrode. A redox polymer film containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is coated on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. The redox polymer electrically "wires" the peroxidase enzyme to the electrode. It operates at a lower applied potential than a platinum electrode (+ 100 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) and electrochemically reduces hydrogen peroxide generated by a post-column IMER.

Chromatograms of (a) Ringer's solution and (b) 0.5 nmole lactate using (left) platinum electrode and (right) wired peroxidase electrode.

Chromatograms of 1 nmole glucose (G), 0.23 nmole ascorbic acid (AA) and 0.24 nmole uric acid (UA) on a bare platinum electrode (left). The use of the wired peroxidase electrode (right) effectively increases response.

Redox cycles for an oxidase IMER and wired peroxidase electrode. The peroxidase is covalently linked to a redox hydrogel coated on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. The oxidized form of the enzyme can be electroreduced through redox centers in the polymer network.
The wired enzyme electrode is offered in kit form. The kit provides a means of preparing and regenerating the electrode for minimal cost. Kits are available in two formats, according to the style of BASi electrochemical detector being used. Customers already using a BASi applications kit based on an oxidase IMER will find it very easy to upgrade to the new wired enzyme electrode format.

Chromatograms of 0.5 pmole acetylcholine and choline with (left) platinum electrode and (right) wired peroxidase electrode.
Peroxidase Redox Polymer solution must be kept cold. Kits are shipped worldwide by express courier. Solution must be refrigerated immediately upon receipt.
UniJet technology is the property of Bioanalytical Systems, Inc. US Patent 5,399,256.
Wired Enzyme sensor technology is liscenced from E. Heller and Co. US Patents 5,320,725 and 5,262,035