In this work, we developed an enzymatic voltammetric biosensor for the determination of catechin and gallic acid in green tea and kombucha samples. The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methodology was optimized regarding the amount of crude enzyme extract, incubation time in the presence of the substrates, optimal pH, reuse of the biosensor, and storage time. Samples of green tea and kombucha were purchased in local markets in the city of Goiânia-GO, Brazil. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Folin-Ciocalteu spectrophotometric techniques were performed for the comparison of the analytical methods employed. In addition, two calibration curves were made, one for catechin with a linear range from 1 to 60 µM (I = −0.152 * (catechin) − 1.846), with a detection limit of 0.12 µM and a quantification limit of 0.38 µM and one for gallic acid with a linear range from 3 to 60 µM (I = −0.0415 * (gallic acid) − 0.0572), with a detection limit of 0.14 µM and a quantification limit of 0.42 µM. The proposed biosensor was efficient in the determination of phenolic compounds in green tea.
Electrochemical sensors based on graphite and polymers have emerged as powerful analytical tools for bioanalytical applications. However, most of the fabrication processes are not environmentally friendly because they often involve the use of toxic reagents and generate waste. This study describes an alternative method to produce flexible electrodes in plastic substrates using graphite powder and thermal laminating sheets by solid−solid deposition through hot compression, without the use of hazardous chemical reagents. The electrodes developed through the proposed approach have successfully demonstrated flexibility, robustness, reproducibility (relative standard deviation around 6%), and versatility. The electrodes were thoroughly characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. As a proof of concept, the electrode surfaces were modified with bismuth and used for zinc analysis in sweat. The modified electrodes presented linearity (R 2 = 0.996) for a wide zinc concentration range (50−2000 ppb) and low detection limit (4.31 ppb). The proposed electrodes were tested using real sweat samples and the achieved zinc concentrations did not differ statistically from the data obtained by atomic absorption spectroscopy. To allow wearable applications, a 3D-printed device was fabricated, integrated with the proposed electrochemical system, and fixed at the abdomen by using an elastic tape to collect, store, and analyze the sweat sample. The matrix effect test was performed, spiking the real sample with different zinc levels, and the recovery values varied between 85 and 106%, thus demonstrating adequate accuracy and robustness of the flexible electrodes developed based on the proposed fabrication method.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.