Electrocatalytic oxidation of the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide at carbon ionic liquid electrode modified with polythionine/multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite

A carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) was modified with a polythionine (PTh)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composite and used for the detection of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). The electrode was prepared by electrochemical polymerization of thionine on the MWCNTs in neutral medium. Cyclic voltammetry indicated that the electrode was capable of mediating the oxidation of NADH at an overpotential as low as 0.03 V. Amperometric experiments showed that a sensitive and stable response towards NADH is obtained within 5 s. The linear range for the determination of NADH is from 0.8 μmol L−1 to 422 μmol L−1, with a detection limit of 0.26 μmol L−1 (S/N = 3). The wide linear range, lower detection limit and faster response towards NADH suggests that the new method potentially is useful for developing NAD+-dependent enzyme-based biosensors.