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Colorimetric determination of cysteine by exploiting its inhibitory action on the peroxidase-like activity of Au@Pt core-shell nanohybrids

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Abstract

The authors report that the peroxidase-like activity of Au@Pt core-shell nanohybrids (Au@PtNHs) is selectively inhibited by cysteine. This finding has led to  a highly sensitive colorimetric assay for cysteine that is based on the nanohybrid-catalyzed oxidation of TMB by H2O2 to form a blue product. The method has a detection limit of 5.0 nM and a linear range from 10 nM to 20 μM. The assay is highly selective over other amino acids. It was successfully applied to the determination of cysteine in an injection containing a mixture of amino acids.

The peroxidase-like activity of Au@Pt core-shell nanohybrids (Au@PtNHs) is selectively inhibited by cysteine, enabling the determination of cysteine.

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Acknowledgments

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31371767), the National S&T support program of China (2015BAD17B02) and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20141108).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Lab of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Na Pan, Wang Li-Ying, Liang-Liang Wu, Chi-Fang Peng & Zheng-Jun Xie

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  1. Na Pan
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  2. Wang Li-Ying
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  3. Liang-Liang Wu
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Correspondence to Chi-Fang Peng or Zheng-Jun Xie.

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Pan, N., Li-Ying, W., Wu, LL. et al. Colorimetric determination of cysteine by exploiting its inhibitory action on the peroxidase-like activity of Au@Pt core-shell nanohybrids. Microchim Acta 184, 65–72 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-016-1981-6

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