Adsorption behavior of serum albumin on electrode surfaces and the effects of electrode potential

Abstract

The adsorption behavior of serum albumin onto the surface of platinum, gold, and glassy carbon electrodes was studied in relation to the electrode potential, by using cyclic voltammetry and a quartz-crystal microbalance. The kinetics of adsorption was significantly dependent on the electrode potential. The adsorption was highly accelerated by the application of positive potential to the electrode, suggesting an electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged albumin molecules and the positively polarized electrodes was irreversible with respect to dilution of the albumin solution, while the albumin molecules were desorbed in part upon shifting the electrode potential in the negative direction. The quartz-crystal microbalance data showed that albumin forms a monomolecular layer on the electrode surface. Protein adsorption on electrode surfaces in serum was also examined.