Pure copper vs. mixed copper and palladium hexacyanoferrates for glucose biosensing applications

A glucose amperometric biosensor was developed. Glucose oxidase enzyme was immobilized by means of a Nafion membrane on glassy carbon modified with an electrochemically deposited mixed Cu and Pd hexacyanoferrate (CuPdHCF). According to the data provided by X-ray atomic spectroscopy measurements, this Cu- and Pd-based hexacyanoferrate is likely to be a mixture of single CuHCF and PdHCF pure phases. The biosensor performances were evaluated by recording the steady-state currents due to submillimolar additions of glucose to a potassium buffer solution (pH 5.5) and exploiting the electrocatalytic reduction of the enzymatically produced hydrogen peroxide. The CuPdHCF-based biosensor exhibited a sensitivity of 8.1±0.6 A M−1 m−2, a limit of detection of 1.4×10−5 M, and a linear response range extending between 5×10−5 and 4×10−4 M, with a dynamic response range up to 4×10−3Mglucose. Electrode sensitivity and signal stability resulted more satisfactory as compared to those of a CuHCF-based biosensor fabricated according to the same procedure. The selectivity was investigated through an interference study. The response to easily oxidizable species was found to be low enough to allow glucose determination in biological samples.