CuxO nanorods with excellent regenerable NADH peroxidase mimics and its application for selective and sensitive fluorimetric ethanol sensing

Abstract CuxO nanorods with excellent NADH peroxidase mimics were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The catalytic oxidation of NADH to NAD cofactor strictly follows the enzymatic kinetics with high catalytic rate and strong affinity. The catalytic mechanism of CuxO NRs was that in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, the catalytic oxidizing NADH to NAD + involving with O2.-.anion production, making it realistic to mutually convert between coenzymes. Considering that the mutual transformation of NADH/NAD cofactors plays an important role in biological function, combination of CuxO NRs with alcohol dehydrogenase, a highly selective method for fluorimetric detection of ethanol was established. The as-proposed sensing platform is capable of dectecting alcohol with the limit of detection of 26.7 μM (S/N = 3) and applied in practical sample with satisfied accuracy and recovery. The as-developed regenerable NADH peroxidase mimics would also cast lights in biocatalysis, synthetic biology and bioenergy.