Cholinesterase sensor based on glassy carbon electrode modified with Ag nanoparticles decorated with macrocyclic ligands

New acetylcholinesterase (AChE) sensor based on Ag nanoparticles decorated with macrocyclic ligand has been developed and successfully used for highly sensitive detection of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. AChE was immobilized by carbodiimide binding on carbon black (CB) layer deposited on a glassy carbon electrode. The addition of Ag nanoparticles decreased the working potential of the biosensor from 350 to 50 mV. The AChE sensor made it possible to detect 0.4 nM–0.2 μM of malaoxon, 0.2 nM–0.2 μM of paraoxon, 0.2 nM–2.0 μM of carbofuran and 10 nM–0.20 μM of aldicarb (limits of detection 0.1, 0.05, 0.1 and 10 nM, respectively) with 10 min incubation. The AChE sensor was tested for the detection of residual amounts of pesticides in spiked samples of peanut and grape juice. The protecting effect of new macrocyclic compounds bearing quaternary ammonia fragments was shown on the example of malaoxon inhibition.