| This thesis explores the use of self-assembled monolayers on gold for studying enzyme immobilization and ion recognition.;Chapter 1 serves as a general introduction to biosensing, self-assembled monolayers, protein immobilization, and surface characterization techniques.;Chapter 2 through Chapter 5 describe the immobilization of a redox enzyme, glucose oxidase, to a variety of functional self-assembled monolayers by either noncovalent adsorption or covalent attachment. The characteristics of different immobilization methods are investigated, and the activity of the immobilized enzyme is assessed electrochemically.;Chapter 2 presents detailed procedures for measuring glucose oxidase activity by an electrochemical technique---cyclic voltammetry.;Chapter 3 describes the adsorption of glucose oxidase to hydrophobic and hydrophilic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Significant glucose oxidase adsorption to hydrophobic, methyl-terminated SAMs was observed, while long chain, hydrophilic SAMs terminated by hydroxyl and carboxyl groups resist enzyme adsorption.;Chapter 4 examines the covalent attachment of glucose oxidase to N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS ester)-terminated self-assembled monolayers. The reactivity of the surface NHS ester group is found to increase as its coverage is lowered. This observation is explained by the steric effect.;Chapter 5 reports the electrostatic adsorption of glucose oxidase to self-assembled monolayers of cystamine. The adsorbed enzyme shows superior activity to enzyme immobilized by other means. The rate constants of surface enzyme catalysis are determined and compared with those of the enzyme in solution.;Chapter 6 is concerned with iron (III) recognition by a self-assembled monolayer terminated with a siderophore group, desferrioxamine (H3DFO). We first demonstrate that the iron coverage of the ferrioxamine (FeDFO)-terminated SAM can be successfully assayed by cyclic voltammetry. We then present results for iron (III) binding to the H3DFO-terminated SAMs. Though somewhat lower, the stability constant of surface FeDFO was found to be on the same order of magnitude as that of solution complex.;Chapter 7 summarizes the accomplishment of this Ph.D. research and assesses future research directions. |
