Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance study of azurin adsorption onto an alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer on gold

Langmuir. 2008 Jan 1;24(1):323-7. doi: 10.1021/la702511w. Epub 2007 Nov 28.

Abstract

A quartz crystal microbalance coupled with electrochemistry was used to examine the adsorption of azurin on a gold electrode modified with a self-assembled monolayer of octanethiol. Azurin adsorbed irreversibly to form a densely packed monolayer. The rate of azurin adsorption was related to the bulk concentration of azurin in solution within the concentration range studied. At a high azurin concentration (2.75 muM), adsorption was rapid with a stable adsorption maximum attained in 2-3 min. At a lower azurin solution concentration (0.35 muM), the time to reach a stable adsorption maximum was approximately 30 min. Interestingly, the maximum surface concentration attained for all solution concentrations studied by the QCM method was 25 +/- 1 pmol cm-2, close to that predicted for monolayer coverage. The dissipation was monitored during adsorption, and only small changes were detected, implying a rigid adsorption model, as needed when using the Sauerbrey equation. Cyclic voltammetric data were consistent with a one-electron, surface-confined CuII/CuI azurin process with fast electron-transfer kinetics. The electroactive surface concentration calculated using voltammetry was 7 +/- 1 pmol cm-2. The differences between the QCM and voltammetrically determined surface coverage values reflect, predominantly, the different measurement methods but imply that all surface-confined azurin is not electrochemically active on the time scale of cyclic voltammetry.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Algorithms
  • Azurin / chemistry*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Crystallization
  • Electrochemistry
  • Electrodes
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Quartz / chemistry*
  • Solutions / chemistry
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Solutions
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • Azurin
  • Quartz
  • Gold