Towards the development of a direct electrochemical biodetector of avidin based on the poly(chloro amino β-styryl terthiophene)-coated glassy carbon electrode

In this study, a simple and direct biodetector was proposed, which was based on biotin immobilized onto a conducting polymer-coated electrode, for the detection 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 the poly 3′-(3-chloro-4-amino-β-styryl)-(2,2′: 5′,2″-terthiophene) (PCAST), and the biotinavidin interaction was monitored by cyclic voltammetry. Incubation of the PCAST/biotin-modified-coated electrode with avidin in a phosphate buffered saline solution caused a significant change to its cyclic 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 detect avidin at 4 × 10 -6molL -1. © 2012 CSIRO.