Co-reactant-free self-enhanced solid-state electrochemiluminescence platform based on polyluminol-gold nanocomposite for signal-on detection of mercury ion

Development of a self-enhanced solid-state ECL platform creates a straightforward experimental design for the fabrication of point-of-care applications. Herein, we develop a promising method for self-enhanced solid-state ECL platform of polyluminol gold nanocomposite on glassy carbon electrode [(PL-Au)(nano)/GCE] via simple one-step electrochemical deposition process without involving any additional co-reactants. The presence of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) augments the electron transfer kinetics of PL (polyluminol) and enhances the solid-state ECL intensity and promotes label-free, excellent sensitivity, and selectivity to detect Hg(2+) in physiological pH through signal-on mode. Unlike pristine PL/GCE, electrochemically co-deposited AuNPs in the (PL-Au)(nano)/GCE composite, enable the co-reactant accelerator by improving the catalytic activity of PL towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) yielding in-situ ROS (co-reactant) generation. Further, the ECL intensity of (PL-Au)(nano)/GCE composite, gradually increases with each addition of Hg(2+) ion. This is because of the formation of an amalgamation of Au-Hg on (PL-Au)(nano)/GCE composite surface which further accelerates the yield of in-situ ROS and enhances the intensity of ECL. Whereas no ECL signals changes were observed for PL/GCE composite. The proposed self-enhanced solid-state ECL platform is selectively sensing the Hg(2+) ion in the linear range of 0.3–200 nM with a detection limit of 0.1 nM. The demonstrated (PL-Au)(nano)/GCE platform might pave new avenues for further studies in the solid-state ECL platform which could be more useful in on-site monitoring of clinical bioassay and immunosensors.