Abstract
In this study, a simple and direct biosensor was proposed, which was based on biotin immobilized onto a conducting polymer-coated electrode, for the determination of avidin, a highly stable glycoprotein found in egg whites. Biotin was immobilized onto the electrode by covalent coupling to the primary amine group on poly-3'-(2-methoxy-5-amino-beta-styryl)-(2,2':5',2 ''-terthiophene) (PMAST), and the biotin-avidin interaction was monitored by square-wave voltammetry. Incubation of the PMAST/biotin-modified coated electrode with avidin in a phosphate-buffered saline solution caused a significant change to its square-wave voltammogram, which was explained by the binding of avidin by biotin, and resulted in restricted ion transfer to and from the conducting polymer. This change was then utilized to determine avidin. Importantly, we found a linear relationship for the avidin sensor in the range of 4 x 10(-14) to 3 x 10(-4) mol/L, and the detection limit was determined to be approximately 10(-14) mol/L.