Determination of Organophosphorus and Carbamic Pesticides with a Choline and Acetylcholine Electrochemical Biosensor

Abstract

Pesticides as paraoxon and aldicarb have been determined with an amperometric hydrogen peroxide based choline sensor. These pesticides inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase which in presence of its substrate, acetylcholine, produces choline. When these pesticides are in presence of acetylcholinesterase, the activity of this enzyme decreases; this causes a decrease of choline production which is monitored by a choline sensor and correlated to the concentration of pesticide in solution. Two different procedures were followed: one with both the enzymes acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase immobilized, the second one with the acetylcholinesterase in solution and the choline oxidase immobilized. Parameters as pH, buffer, enzyme concentration, substrate concentration and reaction and incubation times were optimized. Results showed that these compounds can be detected in the range 10 – 100 ppb. The use of the enzyme in solution gave the best results with a detection limit of 2 ppb pesticide.