The response characteristics of a new sensor for determining acetylcholine are reported. The sensor is based on a carbon paste electrode containing the enzymes acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase and the electron transfer mediator tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). TlT is shown to efficiently reoxidize the reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide centers of choline oxidase. Acetylcholine calibration graphs are obtained in the range to M in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer, and the sensors are shown to operate efficiently at low applied potentials, where electrochemical interference due to oxidation of ascorbic acid is minimized.
hWRODUCTIONThe role of acetylcholine (ACh) as a neurotransmitter has been known for many years, and is well documented [ 11. Several methods for acetylcholine determination have been reported, including radio-labeling [2, 31 and gas chromatographic [4] methods, as well as enzyme-based analysis techniques that couple high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line enzyme reactors and electrochemical detection [5-71. In these latter systems, the actual detected species is hydrogen peroxide, which is the electroactive by-product of the following enzymatic reactions:In this scheme, AChE and ChO refer to acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase, respectively. More recently, enzyme-modified electrodes for ACh determination have been studied; these are also based on the monitoring of the H1O, produced [8, 91 or the 0, consumed [ 101 in Equation 2 above. Although these systems are sensitive and specific in the measurement of ACh and choline, the response can be strongly affected by fluctuations in the ambient concentration of oxygen. Also, in the case of H,O, detection, the working potential of such a device is quite high (HIO1 is oxidized at approximately + 0.7 V vs. the saturated calomel electrode, or SCE), and hence the sensor is highly sensitive to easily oxidized interferents, such as ascorbic acid.'To whom correspondence should be addressed.A direct dependence on O2 concentration can be avoided by using an organic metal electrode such as ITF-TCNQ (tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane), which has been shown to reoxidize the reduced flavin centers of choline oxidase efficiently [ 11, 121; this material also allows the sensor to be operated at a much lower potential than that based on H,O, detection. Alternatively, an artificial electron transfer mediator could be used to shuttle electrons from choline oxidase to an electrode. However, the mediator most commonly used in amperometric glucose sensors, ferrocene [ 131, does not reoxidize the flavin centers of choline oxidase efficiently [ 141.In the present article, we describe the use of another species, tetrathiafulvalene ("F), as an electron transfer mediator in carbon paste electrodes containing acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase. This species has previously been studied as a mediator in combination with The sensor is based on a carbon paste electrode containing the enzymes acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase and 'ITF a s the e...