Heavy Metals and Human Health: Electrochemical Method for Measuring Toxic Iron

Objective: Water resources on Earth are essential for life. Today, heavy metals are released into the ecosystem as a result of various factors, such as increasing industrialization. Iron ions have toxic properties in cells in various ways. Iron ions cause the formation of hydroxyl radicals through Fenton reactions. By participating in reactions within cells, they can lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species and lead to the development of diseases related to oxidative stress. Therefore, the assessment of iron concentrations is of great importance in biomedical and environmental analyses. Methods: Hydrogen peroxidase enzyme (HRP), bovine serum albümin (BSA), glutaraldehyde, and gelatin were added to the Au electrode in 10 mL increments using an adjustable pipette. This mixture, which will form the bioactive layer, was captured on the electrode using an excimer laser. Electrochemical measurements were taken by sequentially adding Fe+2 prepared using stock iron nitrate and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 was used in the study; 10 ml of a 100 g/dL stock solution was used for each measurement). Results: Optimization studies determined the optimum pH as 6.4; optimum glutaraldehyde percentage as 2.5%; optimum gelatin concentration as 50 mg/dL; and optimum BSA as 45 mg/dL. SEM images showed that the crosslinker bound to the polymers in the bioactive layer, exhibiting a compact structure on the electrode surface. The layers formed were interlocked. Applications at different iron concentrations (0.2 mg/dL, 0.6 mg/dL, 1 mg/dL, 2 mg/dL, 3 mg/dL, and 4 mg/dL) demonstrated the sensitivity and specificity of the electrode. Conclusion: In this study, a new and sensitive sensor was developed for the rapid and precise detection of Fe ions (Fe+2) in water. The sensor developed in this study was determined to have high sensitivity, low detection limit, and sensitivity for Fe+2 detection. The developed biosensor can be used as a low-cost, practical, and reliable analytical method for the detection of iron ions.