Biofuel cell controlled by enzyme logic network — Approaching physiologically regulated devices

A “smart” biofuel cell switchable ON and OFF upon application of several chemical signals processed by an enzyme logic network was designed. The biocomputing system performing logic operations on the input signals was composed of four enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), amyloglucosidase (AGS), invertase (INV) and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). These enzymes were activated by different combinations of chemical input signals: NADH, acetaldehyde, maltose and sucrose. The sequence of biochemical reactions catalyzed by the enzymes models a logic network composed of concatenated AND/OR gates. Upon application of specific “successful” patterns of the chemical input signals, the cascade of biochemical reactions resulted in the formation of gluconic acid, thus producing acidic pH in the solution. This resulted in the activation of a pH-sensitive redox-polymer-modified cathode in the biofuel cell, thus, switching ON the entire cell and dramatically increasing its power output. Application of another chemical signal (urea in the presence of urease) resulted in the return to the initial neutral pH value, when the O₂-reducing cathode and the entire cell are in the mute state. The reversible activation–inactivation of the biofuel cell was controlled by the enzymatic reactions logically processing a number of chemical input signals applied in different combinations. The studied biofuel cell exemplifies a new kind of bioelectronic device where the bioelectronic function is controlled by a biocomputing system. Such devices will provide a new dimension in bioelectronics and biocomputing benefiting from the integration of both concepts.     

Simultaneous determination of glucose and sucrose by a glucose-sensing enzyme electrode combined with an invertase-attached cell

Glucose and sucrose are simultaneously determined by using a glucose-sensing enzyme electrode combined with a cell that contains immobilized invertase. The electrode current changes linearly with time for several minutes from ca. 1 min after the addition of a glucose-sucrose mixture. The concentration of sucrose (60 μM-6 mM) is determined from the rate of current change in the linear region, and that of glucose (5 μM-1 mM) is determined by extrapolating the straight current-time line to t=0.45 min and by measuring the intercept on the vertical (current) axis at t=0.45 min. The relative standard deviations are 1.8% for glucose and 3.7% for sucrose (n=10). More than 20 food samples can be analysed in 1 h.     

A rapid and easy procedure of biosensor fabrication by micro-encapsulation of enzyme in hydrophilic synthetic latex films. Application to the amperometric determination of glucose

Novel enzyme electrodes based on synthetic hydrophilic latex matrices are described for the detection of glucose. Glucose oxidase was immobilised through micro-encapsulation, by the simple adsorption of enzyme–latex suspensions on the surface of a platinum electrode. Two latex films functionalised by a hydroxy or a gluconamide group were used. The response of these biosensors to glucose additions was measured by potentiostating the modified electrodes at 0.6 V/SCE in order to oxidise the hydrogen peroxide generated by the enzymatic oxidation of glucose in the presence of dioxygen. The response of such electrodes was evaluated as a function of film thickness and temperature. The sensitivity for a two-layer latex-based biosensor was found to be 38.78 mA M⁻¹ cm⁻² with a response time of 3–5 s. Moreover, a marked improvement of the thermal stability of the biosensor was observed. Only at temperatures higher than 65°C the enzyme started to be denatured and being inactive.     

Immobilization of enzyme to platinum electrode and its use as enzyme electrode

A glucose electrode was fabricated by immobilizing glucose oxidase covalently onto a platinized platinum electrode. The sensor showed rapid response with response time of 2—4 s, and also the linear response to the glucose concentration, ranging from 2 x 10^-3 to 5 mM. The sensitivity was found to be correlated with the surface area of a base electrode used.     

Amperometric determination of bonded glucose with an MnO(2) and glucose oxidase bulk-modified screen-printed electrode using flow-injection analysis

A screen-printed amperometric biosensor based on carbon ink double bulk-modified with MnO₂ as a mediator and glucose oxidase as a biocomponent was investigated for its ability to serve as a detector for bonded glucose in different compounds, such as cellobiose, saccharose, (-)-4-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside, as well as in beer samples by flow-injection analysis (FIA). The biosensor could be operated under physiological conditions (0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.5) and exhibited good reproducibility and stability. Bonded glucose was released with glucosidase in solution, and the free glucose was detected with the modified screen-printed electrode (SPE). The release of glucose by the aid of glucosidase from cellobiose, saccharose and (-)-4-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside in solution showed that stoichiometric quantities of free glucose could be monitored in all three cases.The linear range of the amperometric response of the biosensor in the FIA-mode flow rate 0.2 mL min⁻¹, injection volume 0.25 mL, operation potential 0.48 V versus Ag/AgCl) extends from 11 to 13,900 μmol L⁻¹ glucose in free form. The limit of detection (3σ) is 1 μmol L⁻¹ glucose. A concentration of 100 μmol L⁻¹ yields a relative standard deviation of approximately 7% with five injections. These values correspond to the same concentrations of bonded glucose supposed that it is liberated quantitatively (incubation for 2 h with glucosidase).Bonded glucose could be determined in beer samples using the same assay. The results corresponded very well with the reference procedure.     

Amperometric glucose-responding property of enzyme electrodes fabricated by covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase on conducting polymer films with macroporous structure

Macroporous conducting polymer films were prepared by the electrochemical copolymerization of 3-methylthiophene and thiophene-3-acetic acid on the ITO-coated glass plates bearing different sizes of polystyrene template particles, and enzyme electrodes were fabricated by covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase on the macroporous copolymer films. It was found that the doping level and conductivity of the copolymer films was significantly affected by the treatment with solvent to remove the polystyrene particles, which was considered to result in deterioration in amperometric glucose-responding property of the enzyme electrodes fabricated with the copolymer films. Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous structure on the copolymer films led to enhancement of amperometric response of the enzyme electrodes, and this effect was attributed to the geometry of the interconnected channel structure formed by the linkage of macropores. It was suggested that the amperometric response of the enzyme electrodes was determined by whether the interconnected channel structure on the copolymer films had long distance regularity and a proper size to allow the enzyme and electron-mediator molecules to penetrate into the interior pores of the copolymer film. In particular, the interconnected channel structure seemed to play an important role in the electron-transfer reaction between the mediator molecules and the surface of electrodes.     

Determination of vanadium(V) by direct automatic potentiometric titration with EDTA using a chemically modified electrode as a potentiometric sensor

A chemically modified electrode (CME) was prepared and studied as a potentiometric sensor for the end-point detection in the automatic titration of vanadium(V) with EDTA. The CME was constructed with a paste prepared by mixing spectral-grade graphite powder, Nujol oil and N-2-naphthoyl-N-p-tolylhydroxamic acid (NTHA). Buffer systems, pH effects and the concentration range were studied. Interference ions were separated by applying a liquid-liquid extraction procedure.The CME did not require any special conditioning before using. The electrode was constructed with very inexpensive materials and was easily made. It could be continuously used, at least two months without removing the paste.Automatic potentiometric titration curves were obtained for V(V) within 5 × 10⁻⁵ to 2 × 10⁻³ M with acceptable accuracy and precision. The developed method was applied to V(V) determination in alloys for hip prothesis.