Direct electrochemistry of myoglobin based on ionic liquid-clay composite films

The direct electron transfer of myoglobin (Mb) was realized by immobilizing Mb onto ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoraborate, [bmim][BF(4)])-clay composite film modified glassy carbon electrode. A pair of well-defined redox peaks of Mb with a formal potential (E(o)') of -0.297 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was observed in 0.1M phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.0). The ionic liquid-clay composite film showed good biocompatibility and an obvious promotion capability for the direct electron transfer between Mb and electrode. The electron transfer rate constant (k(s)) of Mb was calculated to be (3.58+/-0.12)s(-1). UV-vis spectrum suggested that Mb retained its native conformation in the ionic liquid-clay system. Basal plane spacing of clay obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that there was an intercalation-exfoliation-restacking process, in ionic liquid and clay during the drying process of the modification, and the ionic liquid played the key role for promotion of the direct electron transfer between Mb and the ionic liquid-clay composite film modified electrode. The biocatalytic activity of Mb in the composite film was exemplified by the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. Under the optimal conditions, the reduction peak currents of Mb increased linearly with the concentration of H(2)O(2) in the range of 3.90 x 10(-6) to 2.59 x 10(-4)M, with a detection limit of 7.33 x 10(-7)M. The kinetic parameter I(max) and the apparent Michaelis constant (K(m)) for the electrocatalytic reactions were 3.87 x 10(-8)A and 17.6 microM, respectively. The proposed method would be valuable for the construction of a new third-generation H(2)O(2) sensor.     

Urchinlike MnO2 nanoparticles for the direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin with carbon ionic liquid electrode

In this paper an urchinlike MnO(2) nanoparticle was synthesized by hydrothermal method and applied to the protein electrochemistry for the first time. By using a carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) as the basal electrode, hemoglobin (Hb) was immobilized on the surface of CILE with chitosan (CTS) and MnO(2) nanoparticle composite materials. Spectroscopic results indicated that Hb molecules retained its native structure in the composite film. A pair of well-defined redox peaks appeared on the cyclic voltammogram with the formal peak potential as -0.180 V (vs. SCE), which indicated that direct electron transfer of Hb was realized on the modified electrode. The result can be attributed to the specific characteristic of MnO(2) nanoparticle and the advantages of CILE, which facilitated the electron transfer rate. The fabricated CTS-MnO(2)-Hb/CILE showed good electrocatalytic ability to the reduction of trichloroacetic acid (TCA). Under the optimal conditions the catalytic current was in linear to TCA concentration in the range from 0.5 to 16.0 mmol L(-1) with the detection limit calculated as 0.167 mmol L(-1) (3σ). The result indicated that urchinlike MnO(2) nanoparticle had the potential application in the third generation electrochemical biosensors.     

Fabrication of polymeric ionic liquid/graphene nanocomposite for glucose oxidase immobilization and direct electrochemistry

A novel polymeric ionic liquid functionalized graphene, poly(1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium bromide)-graphene (denoted as poly(ViBuIm(+)Br(-))-G), was synthesized. FTIR, UV-vis spectra and TEM were used to characterize the formation of as synthesized nanocomposites. Due to the modification of the polymeric ionic liquid, poly(ViBuIm(+)Br(-))-G can not only be dispersed well in aqueous solutions to form a homogeneous colloidal suspension of individual nanosheets, but also exhibit a strong positive charge. Based on self-assembly, the negatively charged glucose oxidase (GOD) was immobilized onto the poly(ViBuIm(+)Br(-))-G to form a GOD/poly(ViBuIm(+)Br(-))-G/glassy carbon (GC) electrode under mild conditions. With the advantage of both poly(ViBuIm(+)Br(-)) and graphene, poly(ViBuIm(+)Br(-))-G can provide a favorable and conductive microenvironment for the immobilized GOD and thus promote their direct electron transfer at the GC electrode. Furthermore, the GOD/poly(ViBuIm(+)Br(-))-G/GC electrode displayed an excellent sensitivity, together with a wide linear range and excellent stability for the detection of glucose. Accordingly, these unique properties of such novel nanocomposite generate a promising platform for the construction of mediator-free enzymatic biosensors.     

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase and biosensing for glucose based on boron-doped carbon nanotubes modified electrode

Due to their unique physicochemical properties, doped carbon nanotubes are now extremely attractive and important nanomaterials in bioanalytical applications. In this work, selecting glucose oxidase (GOD) as a model enzyme, we investigated the direct electrochemistry of GOD based on the B-doped carbon nanotubes/glassy carbon (BCNTs/GC) electrode with cyclic voltammetry. A pair of well-defined, quasi-reversible redox peaks of the immobilized GOD was observed at the BCNTs based enzyme electrode in 0.1M phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.98) by direct electron transfer between the protein and the electrode. As a new platform in glucose analysis, the new glucose biosensor based on the BCNTs/GC electrode has a sensitivity of 111.57 microA mM(-1)cm(-2), a linear range from 0.05 to 0.3mM and a detection limit of 0.01mM (S/N=3). Furthermore, the BCNTs modified electrode exhibits good stability and excellent anti-interferent ability to the commonly co-existed uric acid and ascorbic acid. These indicate that boron-doped carbon nanotubes are the good candidate material for the direct electrochemistry of the redox-active enzyme and the construction of the related enzyme biosensors.     

Ultra-fine Pt nanoparticles supported on ionic liquid polymer-functionalized ordered mesoporous carbons for nonenzymatic hydrogen peroxide detection

Poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) coated ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) were prepared by in situ polymerization of 3-ethyl-1-vinylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([VEIM]BF(4)) monomer on OMCs matrix. PIL on the surface of OMCs can provide sufficient binding sites to anchor the precursors of metal ion. PIL/OMCs were employed as support material for the deposition and formation of ultra-fine Pt nanoparticles, via the self-assembly between the negative Pt precursor and positively charged functional groups of PIL-functionalized OMCs. The combination of the unique properties of each component endows Pt/PIL/OMCs as a good electrode material. Compared with the Pt/OMCs nanocomposite, the Pt/PIL/OMCs modified electrode displays high electrocatalytic activity towards hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and gives linear range from 1.0 × 10(-7) to 3.2 × 10(-3) M (R=0.999). The Pt/PIL/OMCs responds very rapidly to the changes in the level of H(2)O(2), producing steady-state signals within 4-5s. A high sensitivity of 24.43 μA mM(-1) and low detection limit of 0.08 μM was obtained at Pt/PIL/OMCs modified electrode towards the reduction of H(2)O(2). The improved activity makes Pt/PIL/OMCs nanocomposite promising for being developed as an attractive robust and new electrode material for electrochemical sensors and biosensors design.     

A novel sensor based on electrochemical polymerization of diglycolic acid for determination of acetaminophen

Diglycolic acid (DA) polymer was coated on glassy carbon (GC) electrode by cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique for the first time. The electrochemical performances of the modified electrode were investigated by CV and electrochemical impedance (EIS). The obtained electrode showed an excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of acetaminophen (ACOP). A couple of well-defined reversible electrochemical redox peaks were observed on the ploy(DA)/GC electrode in ACOP solution. Compared with bare GC electrode, the oxidation peak potential of ACOP on ploy(DA)/GC electrode moved from 0.289 V to 0.220 V. Meanwhile, the oxidation peak current was much higher on the modified electrode than that on the bare GC electrode, indicating DA polymer modified electrode possessed excellent performance for the oxidation of ACOP. This kind of capability of the modified electrode can be enlisted for the highly sensitive and selective determination of ACOP. Under the optimized conditions, a wide linear range from 2 × 10(-8) to 5.0 × 10(-4)M with a correlation coefficient 0.9995 was obtained. The detection limit was 6.7 × 10(-9)M (at the ratio of signal to noise, S/N=3:1). The modified electrode also exhibited very good stability and reproducibility for the detection of ACOP. The established method was applied to the determination of ACOP in samples. An average recovery of 100.1% was achieved. These results indicated that this method was reliable for determining ACOP.     

Simultaneously Enhancing the Thermal Stability,Mechanical Modulus,and Electrochemical Performance of Solid Polymer Electrolytes by Incorporating 2D Sheets

Solid state electrolytes are the key components for high energy density lithium ion batteries and especially for lithium metal batteries where lithium dendrite growth is an inevitable obstacle in liquid electrolytes. Solid polymer electrolytes based on a complex of polymers and lithium salts are intrinsically advantageous over inorganic electrolytes in terms of processability and film‐forming properties. But other properties such as ionic conductivity, thermal stability, mechanical modulus, and electrochemical stability need to be improved. Herein, for the first time, 2D additives using few‐layer vermiculite clay sheets as an example to comprehensively upgrade poly(ethylene oxide)‐based solid polymer electrolyte are introduced. With clay sheet additives, the polymer electrolyte exhibits improved thermal stability, mechanical modulus, ionic conductivity, and electrochemical stability along with reduced flammability and interface resistance. The composite polymer electrolyte can suppress the formation and growth of lithium dendrites in lithium metal batteries. It is anticipated that the clay sheets upgraded solid polymer electrolyte can be integrated to construct high performance solid state lithium ion and lithium metal batteries with higher energy and safety.     

High-performance bioanode based on the composite of CNTs-immobilized mediator and silk film-immobilized glucose oxidase for glucose/O2 biofuel cells

A high-performance bioanode based on the composite of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-immobilized mediator and silk film (SF)-immobilized glucose oxidase (GOD) was developed for glucose/O(2) biofuel cell (BFC). Ferrocenecarboxaldehyde (Fc) was used as the mediator and covalently immobilized on the ethylenediamine (EDA)-functionalized CNTs (CNTs-EDA). GOD was cross-linked on the SF with glutaraldehyde (GA) as the cross-linking agent. The resulting electrode (CNTs-Fc/SF-GOD/glassy carbon (GC) electrode) exhibited good catalytic activity towards glucose oxidation and excellent stability. For the assembled glucose/O(2) BFC with the CNTs-Fc/SF-GOD/GC electrode as the bioanode and a commercial E-TEK Pt/C modified GC electrode as the cathode, the open circuit potential is 0.48 V and the maximum power density of 50.70 μW cm(-2) can be achieved at 0.15 V.     

Hydrogen peroxide detection at a horseradish peroxidase biosensor with a Au nanoparticle-dotted titanate nanotube|hydrophobic ionic liquid scaffold

In this work, a novel sensing scaffold, consisting Au nanoparticle (GNP)-dotted TiO(2) nanotubes (TNTs) as the rigid material and the hydrophobic ionic liquid (HIL), 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, as the entrapping agent, was applied to facilitate the electron transfer of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on a glassy carbon electrode. GNPs were immobilised on the TNTs in our work using a one-step reduction of HAuCl(4)·3H(2)O by sodium borohydride in the presence of sodium citrate as a stabilising reagent. The morphology and composition of the as-synthesised composite materials were characterised by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry of HRP at the modified electrode presented a pair of reproducible, quasi-reversible redox peaks with a peak-to-peak separation of 69 mV, indicating electron transfer between HRP and composite electrode. The GNP-TNT|HIL|HRP electrode was then applied to the detection of H(2)O(2) in a pH 7.0 phosphate buffer using chronoamperometry. The biosensor exhibited a linear response in the 15-750 μM range, and a limit of detection of 2.2 μM. The biosensor also exhibited stability with 90% of the detection signal retained over a two-week duration.     

Assembly of quantum dots-mesoporous silicate hybrid material for protein immobilization and direct electrochemistry

An organized multi-components hybrid material, constructed by mesopores cellular foam silicate (MCFs) and quantum dots (QDs), was designed for the immobilization and biosensing of protein. The negative CdTe QDs were assembled on the surface of mesopores in amino group functionalized MCFs through electrostatic interaction to form QDs-MCFs hybrid material, which was used as the matrix to immobilize myoglobin (Mb) and fabricate modified protein electrode (Mb-QDs-MCFs/GC). FT-IR, UV-vis and PL spectroscopies were used to monitor the assembly process and also demonstrated that Mb was immobilized into the hybrid matrix without denaturation. Compared with the Mb-MCFs/GC electrode, the Mb-QDs-MCFs/GC electrode could not only realize enhanced direct electrochemistry but also display better sensitivity and wider linear range to the detection of hydrogen peroxide. The experiment results demonstrate that the hybrid matrix provides a biocompatible microenvironment for protein and supplies a necessary pathway for its direct electron transfer.     

A novel approach to construct a horseradish peroxidase|hydrophilic ionic liquids|Au nanoparticles dotted titanate nanotubes biosensor for amperometric sensing of hydrogen peroxide

The direct electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on a novel sensing platform modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) has been achieved. This sensing platform consists of Nafion, hydrophilic room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) and Au nanoparticles dotted titanate nanotubes (GNPs-TNTs). The composite of RTIL and GNPs-TNTs was immobilized on the electrode surface through the gelation of a small amount of HRP aqueous solution. The composite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). UV-Vis and IR spectroscopy demonstrated that HRP in the composite could retain its native secondary structure and biochemical activity. The HRP-immobilized electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The results from both techniques showed that the direct electron transfer between the nanocomposite modified electrodes and heme in HRP could be realized. The biosensor responded to H(2)O(2) in the linear range from 5×10(-6) to 1×10(-3) mol L(-1) with a detection limit of 2.1×10(-6) mol L(-1) (based on the S/N=3).     

Direct electron transfer of hemoglobin in layered alpha-zirconium phosphate with a high thermal stability

A heme protein hemoglobin (Hb) was reacted with preexfoliated layered alpha-zirconium phosphate (alpha-ZrP) platelets. An X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of small range showed that the exfoliated alpha-ZrP platelets reassembled after the addition of Hb molecules, with the protein intercalated between the layers. UV-Vis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra analysis displayed that no significant denaturation occurred to the intercalated protein. The bioactivity of Hb was also investigated by testing the electrochemical properties of the Hb/alpha-ZrP composite. Results showed that the intercalation of Hb into the layered material not only improved the thermal stability of Hb but also enhanced the direct electron transfer ability between protein molecules and electrode. The protein still showed bioactivity after treatment at a temperature as high as 85 degrees C. A pair of well-defined redox peaks at approximately -0.37 and -0.32V was observed on the cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of the Hb/alpha-ZrP composite modified electrode, and the electrode reactions showed a surface-controlled process with a single proton transfer. The resultant biosensor constructed by the Hb/alpha-ZrP composite displayed an excellent response to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) with good reproducibility.     

Gum‐Like Nanocomposites as Conformable,Conductive, and Adhesive Electrode Matrix for Energy Storage Devices

The electrodes in energy storage devices, such as lithium/sodium ion batteries, are typical multicomponent system consisting of inorganic electrode particles, polymer binders, conductive fillers, current collectors, and other components. These components are usually porously combined by a polymeric binder to accomplish the required electrochemical functions. In spite of the great success, this classic porous configuration faces serious issues in mechanical stability and flexibility due to weak and instable structures/interfaces. Here, by learning from polymeric nanocomposites, a concept of electrode matrix is proposed based on a gum‐like nanocomposite, a dual‐conductive adhesive. As an electrode matrix, the gum‐like nanocomposite integrates the functions of binder, electrolyte, and conductive fillers. In particular, it shows strong adhesion, high electrical/ionic conductivities, and appropriate mechanical and self‐healing properties. Finally, it is demonstrated that, with the electrode matrix, battery electrodes can be fabricated into nonporous composite showing not only excellent mechanical flexibility/stability but also improved electrochemical performance when working with a gum‐like electrolyte.     

Stable Seamless Interfaces and Rapid Ionic Conductivity of Ca–CeO2/LiTFSI/PEO Composite Electrolyte for High‐Rate and High‐Voltage All‐Solid‐State Battery

Stable and seamless interfaces among solid components in all‐solid‐state batteries (ASSBs) are crucial for high ionic conductivity and high rate performance. This can be achieved by the combination of functional inorganic material and flexible polymer solid electrolyte. In this work, a flexible all‐solid‐state composite electrolyte is synthesized based on oxygen‐vacancy‐rich Ca‐doped CeO₂ (Ca–CeO₂) nanotube, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), namely Ca–CeO₂/LiTFSI/PEO. Ca–CeO₂ nanotubes play a key role in enhancing the ionic conductivity and mechanical strength while the PEO offers flexibility and assures the stable seamless contact between the solid electrolyte and the electrodes in ASSBs. The as‐prepared electrolyte exhibits high ionic conductivity of 1.3 × 10^?4 S cm^?1 at 60 °C, a high lithium ion transference number of 0.453, and high‐voltage stability. More importantly, various electrochemical characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that Ca–CeO₂ helps dissociate LiTFSI, produce free Li ions, and therefore enhance ionic conductivity. The ASSBs based on the as‐prepared Ca–CeO₂/LiTFSI/PEO composite electrolyte deliver high‐rate capability and high‐voltage stability.     

Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of hemoglobin in composite film based on ionic liquid and NiO microspheres with different morphologies

Flowerlike, spherical, and walnutlike NiO microspheres were respectively mixed with ionic liquid (IL) to form three stable composite films, which were used to immobilize hemoglobin (Hb) on carbon paste electrodes. Spectroscopic and electrochemical examinations revealed that the three NiO/IL composites were biocompatible matrix for immobilizing Hb, which showed good stability and bioactivity. However, electrochemical studies demonstrated that flowerlike NiO microspheres were far more effective than the other two in adsorbing Hb and facilitating the electron transfer between Hb and underlying electrode, which resulted from its unique flower architecture and large surface area. With advantages of flowerlike NiO and ionic liquid, a pair of stable and well-defined quasi-reversible redox peaks of Hb were obtained with a formal potential of -0.275 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in pH 7.0 buffer. Meantime, flowerlike NiO modified electrode showed better electrocatalytic activity toward hydrogen peroxide reduction with a high sensitivity (15.7μAmM(-1)), low detection limit (0.68 μM) and small apparent Michaelis-Menten constant K(M) (0.18 mM). Flowerlike NiO could be a promising matrix for the fabrication of direct electrochemical biosensors in biomedical analysis.     

Electrochemical oxidation of purine and pyrimidine bases based on the boron-doped nanotubes modified electrode

Based on the excellent physicochemical properties of boron-doped carbon nanotubes (BCNTs), the electrochemical analysis of four free DNA bases at the BCNTs modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode was investigated. Herein, the BCNTs/GC electrode exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of purine bases (guanine (G), adenine (A)). More significantly, the direct oxidation of pyrimidine bases (thymine (T), cytosine (C)) was realized. It may be due to that BCNTs have the advantages of high electron transfer kinetics, large surface area, prominent antifouling ability and electrode activity. On basis of this, a novel and simple strategy for the determination of G, A, T and C was proposed. The BCNTs/GC electrode showed high sensitivity, wide linear range and capability of detection for the electrochemical determination of G, A, T, and C. On the other hand, the electrochemical oxidation of quaternary mixture of G, A, T, and C at the BCNTs/GC electrode was investigated. It was obtained that the peak separation between G and A, A and T, T and C were large enough for their potential recognition in mixture without any separation or pretreatment. The BCNTs/GC electrode also displayed good stability, reproducibility and excellent anti-interferent ability. Therefore, it can be believed that the BCNTs/GC electrode would provide a potential application for the electrochemical detection of DNA in the field of genetic-disease diagnosis.     

Effect of ionic liquid on the kinetics of peroxidase catalysis

The effect of a water-miscible ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]), on the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed oxidation of 2-methoxyphenol (guaiacol) with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was investigated. HRP maintains its high activity in the aqueous mixtures containing various concentrations of the ionic liquid and even in 90% (v/v) ionic liquid. In order to minimize the effect of solution viscosity on the kinetic constants of HRP catalysis, the enzymatic reactions in the subsequent kinetic study were performed in water-ionic liquid mixtures containing 25% (v/v) ionic liquid at maximum. As the concentration of [BMIM][BF4] increased for the oxidation of guaiacol by HRP, the K(m) value increased with a slight decrease in the k(cat) value: The K(m) value increased from 2.8 mM in 100% (v/v) water to 22.5 mM in 25% (v/v) ionic liquid, indicating that ionic liquid significantly weakens the binding affinity of guaiacol to HRP.     

Simultaneous electrochemical determination of l-cysteine and l-cysteine disulfide at carbon ionic liquid electrode

A linear sweep voltammetric method is used for direct simultaneous determination of l-cysteine and l-cysteine disulfide (cystine) based on carbon ionic liquid electrode. With carbon ionic liquid electrode as a high performance electrode, two oxidation peaks for l-cysteine (0.62 V) and l-cysteine disulfide (1.3 V) were observed with a significant separation of about 680 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) in phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.0). The linear ranges were obtained as 1.0–450 and 5.0–700 μM and detection limits were estimated to be 0.298 and 4.258 μM for l-cysteine and l-cysteine disulfide, respectively. This composite electrode was applied for simultaneous determination of l-cysteine and l-cysteine disulfide in two real samples, artificial urine and nutrient broth. Satisfactory results were obtained which clearly indicate the applicability of the proposed electrode for simultaneous determination of these compounds in complex matrices.     

Green composite films prepared from cellulose,starch and lignin in room-temperature ionic liquid

A series of novel biobased composite films derived from cellulose, starch and lignin were prepared from an ionic liquid (IL), 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AmimCl) by coagulating in a nonsolvent condition. The ionic liquid can be recycled with a high yield and purity after the green film was prepared. The uniform design method was applied to investigate mechanical properties of the biobased composite films. The effect of each component and their associated interactive effects were investigated. The experimental results showed that contents of cellulose, lignin and starch had a significant influence on the mechanical properties of composite films. The composite films showed relatively excellent mechanical properties in dry and wet states owing to the mutual property supplement of different components. The composite films were characterized via FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Their thermal stability and gas permeability were also investigated, and the results showed that the composite films had good thermal stability and high gas barrier capacity and give a CO₂:O₂ permeability ratio close to 1.     

C3(OH)2mim][BF4]-Au/Pt biosensor for glutamate sensing in vivo integrated with on-line microdialysis system

A new type of hydroxyl functionalized room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), [C(3)(OH)(2)mim][BF(4)], was synthesized herein and a novel H(2)O(2) biosensor is fabricated with [C(3)(OH)(2)mim][BF(4)] as the substrate and electrodepositing bimetallic Au/Pt nanoparticles (NPs) onto the [C(3)(OH)(2)mim][BF(4)] film. The functionalization of RTIL with hydroxyl groups provided an appropriate environment for the preparation of more uniform and smaller Au/Pt NPs with the diameter of 2.5 nm±0.2 nm. Immobilized with glutamate oxidase (GlutaOx), the resulting GlutaOx-[C(3)(OH)(2)mim][BF(4)]-Au/Pt-Nafion biosensor displayed excellent electrocatalytic response to glutamate at a potential of -200 mV. An effective on-line microdialysis system, which was powered by a microdialysis pump, was set up and used for the detection of glutamate successively in the striatum of rats. The glutamate biosensor in on-line microdialysis system showed good linear range from 0.5 μM to 20.0 μM with the detection limit of 0.17 μM (S/N=3). The basal level of glutamate in the striatum of anaesthetic rats was calculated to be 3.01±0.67 μM (n=3). The application of the GlutaOx-[C(3)(OH)(2)mim][BF(4)]-Au/Pt-Nafion electrode is further demonstrated for in vivo sensing of the variation of glutamate level in the striatum when rats received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 100 mM KCl and brain electrical stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus area (STN). Both of the two kinds of stimulation resulted in an increase in the extracellular concentration of glutamate. This method has proved to be sensitive and reproducible, which enables its promising application in physiology and pathology.