Enhanced luminol electrochemiluminescence triggered by an electrode functionalized with dendrimers modified with titanate nanotubes

We have constructed a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) platform by functionalizing a poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (PAAD) with titanate nanotubes (TiNTs). The PAAD has an open spherical structure that possesses a high density of active groups and thus favors mass transport, while the TiNTs possess excellent electronic conductivity and thus can promote electron transfer on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). A study on the intensity and stability of the ECL of luminol on the modified GCE revealed a substantial improvement compared to that of a bare GCE. The effects of the concentration of TiNTs, the pH value of the solution, and of electrochemical parameters on the intensity of the ECL of luminol were studied and resulted in a sensitive ECL sensor for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) that works in the concentration range of 1 nM to 0.9 μM. The scavenging effect of superoxide dismutase (SOD) on the H2O2 electrode ECL was then exploited to design a biosensor for the determination of SOD in concentrations between 50 and 500 nM.