Amperometric biosensor with physically immobilized glucose oxidase on a PVA cryogel membrane

A new method of physically immobilizing a biomolecule of analytical interest in poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogels was developed to obtain suitable biosensors. An amperometric glucose sensor was constructed using glucose oxidase immobilized on membranes obtained by a freezing-thawing cyclic process. No chemical cross-linking agent was used. Sensor behaviour was evaluated electrochemically with a hydrogen peroxide electrode. The glucose content in standard solutions was determined and linear calibration curves in the 5 x 10(-5)-3 x 10(-3) mol 1(-1) range were obtained. Temperature and pH effects on the electrochemical response were described and kinetic parameters in the immobilized system were evaluated.     

Fibre-optic pesticide biosensor based on covalently immobilized acetylcholinesterase and thymol blue

A fibre-optic based on immobilized acetylcholinesterase is described and its application in the detection of carbamate and organophosphate pesticides through enzyme inhibition measurements is discussed. The bioactive component of the sensor consists of acetylcholinesterase covalently immobilized on preactivated isothiocyanate glass mixed with thymol blue indicator bound on aminopropyl glass and the sensor was constructed by packing a thin layer of the glass bead mixture at the tip of a bifurcated fibre-optic sensor head, which was then integrated with a flow-through cell. The response of the sensor to acetylcholine was highly reproducible (RSD<2%) and readily reversible. The sensor exhibited a linear response to acetylcholine in the concentration range 2.5-25 mM (r(2)=0.992). Inhibition plots obtained for test organophosphate (paraoxon) and carbamate (carbofuran) pesticides exhibited concentration-dependent behaviour and showed linear profiles in the concentration ranges 5x10(-8)-5x10(-7) M for carbofuran and 5x10(-7)-5x10(-6) M for paraoxon. The detection limits, calculated at I(10%), are 1.5x10(-8) M (3.1 ppb) and 1.1x10(-7) M (24.7 ppb) for carbofuran and paraoxon, respectively. The regeneration of paraoxon-inhibited sensor was possible using 2-pyrimidine aldoxime, while repetitive substrate injection was necessary to reactivate the carbofuran-inhibited optrode. The factors affecting the inhibition and reactivation processes were investigated.     

A flow-cell optosensor for lead based on immobilized dithizone

Dithizone immobilized on XAD-4 resin has been studied as a sensor element of an optical sensor for lead using a flow-cell. Using this arrangement, lead in solution has been determined in the concentration range 1 x 10(-5)-3 x 10(-7)M with a detection limit of 1 x 10(-8)M(i.e., 2 mug/l.). The standard deviation of the method for the measurement of lead at a concentration of 1 x 10(-6)M was found to be 7%. The response of the sensor was reproducible and can be regenerated using 0.01M hydrochloric acid followed by citrate-hydroxylamine solution.     

Immobilization of lactate oxidase in a poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix on platinized graphite electrodes by chemical cross-linking with isocyanate

A new method for development of an electrochemical sensor based on lactate oxidase is dedbed. Platinized spectroscopic-grade graphite electrodes were modified by chemically cross-linking l-lactate oxidase from Pediococcus species into a poly(vinyl alcohol) network through reaction with a tri-isocyanate. The immobilized enzyme exhibits high activity and long-term stability. The sensor provides a linear response to l-lactate over a concentration range of 2 x 10(-5)-4 x 10(-3)M and a sensitivity of 1.71 muA.1. mmole(-1). The response time of the sensor is 10-45 sec and the detection limit is 10muM. Stable response to the substrate was obtained over a period of 3 months. The new sensor was also used for the analysis of some dairy products without any special pretreatment.     

Self-assembled biotinylated disulfide derivative monolayer on gold electrode for immobilizing enzymes

Based on self-assembled biotinylated disulfide derivative monolayer on gold electrode, the sensors immobilized monolayer or multilayer membranes composed of avidin and biotinlabeled glucose oxidase (B.GOD) or of avidin-B.GOD complex (ABC) and B.COD were prepared. The present technique may be useful for controlling the enzyme content of the sensors in molecular level by repeating the deposition of enzyme layers. The sensors have the characteristics of shorter response time, higher sensitivity. The linear range is from 6.0 x 10(-6) - 5.0 x 10(-3) M. The sensor can be used for more than 1 month and can be reactivated. The sensor was used to determine glucose in human blood serum, and the results are satisfactory.     

A coumarin derivative covalently immobilized on sensing membrane as a fluorescent carrier for nitrofurazone

A coumarin derivative 4-methyl-8-methylacrylamide-2H, 5H-pyrano [3, 2-C] benzpyran 2, 5-dione (MMPBD) has been synthesized as a fluorescent carrier for preparing an optical chemical sensor. The carrier is immobilized on a quartz glass plate surface treated with a silanizing agent to prevent the leakage of the dye. This MMPBD sensor can be utilized for a nitrofurazone (NF) assay based on fluorescence quenching. The sensor shows good repeatability, a long lifetime and a fast response of less then 50 s. NF can be determined in the range between 1.0x10(-6)-1.0x10(-3 )mol L(-1) with a detection limit of 8.0x10(-7) mol L(-1 )at pH 7.0.     

Determination of ciprofloxacin with a room-temperature phosphorescence flow-through sensor based on lanthanide-sensitized luminescence

Direct measurement of the sensitized luminescence of the europium-ciprofloxacin chelate immobilized on a cationic exchanger was used to develop a flow-through room-temperature phosphorescence optosensor for determination of ciprofloxacin. The phosphorescent chelate is formed on-line at room temperature in a flow-injection system and is immobilized on a weakly acidic cation-exchange resin packed in a flow cell. Optimum experimental conditions and analytical performance are discussed in detail. The sensor response for ciprofloxacin was linear, from 1.5 x 10(-6) to 2.0 x 10(-5)M with a relative standard deviation of 2.5% (n = 10) and a detection limit of 1.1 x 10(-7)M. The effect of possible interferences on sensor response was studied. The sensor was successfully tested for the determination of ciprofloxacin in pharmaceutical formulations.     

A selective PVC membrane for di- or trinitrophenol based on N,N-dibenzyl-3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine

A new fluorophore, N,N-dibenzyl-3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (NBTMB), was prepared and shown to exhibit significant and analytical usefulness for optical sensing toward 2,4-dinitrophenol or 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) when it was immobilized in a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane. When the membrane was applied to aqueous nitrophenol solution, NBTMB was able to extract selectively nitrophenol into the membrane phase. Since the extraction equilibrium was accompanied by fluorescence quenching of NBTMB, the chemical recognition process could be directly translated into an optical signal. The sensor showed reversible response in the concentration range from 2.0 x 10(-7) to 6.0 x 10(-5) mol L(-1) for the detection of 2,4-dinitrophenol in NaOAc-HOAc buffer at pH 4.0. It also showed a fast response time (t95% < 1.5 min) when the sensor was applied to 2,4-dinitrophenol solution at concentration levels of 5.26 x 10(-6) and 2.10 x 10(-5) mol L(-1) alternatively. A working principle is proposed and the responses of this sensor to various kinds of nitrophenol were studied. The sensor was applied to the direct determination of 2,4-dinitrophenol in prepared water samples and the indirect assay of the drug cinchonine and the results obtained were satisfactory.     

In situ growth of nanogold on quartz crystal microbalance and its application in the interaction between heparin and antithrombin III

A novel biosensor for detecting antithrombin III (AT III) was constructed based on in situ growth of nanogold on the gold electrode of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The growth process of nanogold was monitored by QCM in real time. Heparin was used as the affinity ligand and immobilized onto the nanogold modified gold electrode. A flow injection analysis-quartz crystal microbalance (FIA-QCM) system was used to investigate the relationship between nanogold growth and the AT III response. Along with the nanogold particle growth within initial 5 min, the amount of heparin immobilized onto the nanogold modified electrode increased quickly. Correspondingly, the frequency response to AT III binding increased rapidly at the same time. After that, both the immobilized amount of heparin and the sensor response to AT III decreased gradually. Compared with the directly immobilized large nanogold particles, the in situ grown particles with the same size occupy more sensor surface, resulting in higher frequency shifts to AT III in the interaction study between heparin and AT III. The obtained constants of AT III binding to immobilized heparin are k(ass)=(1.65+/-0.12)x10(3) L/mols, k diss=(2.63+/-0.18)x10(-2) 1/s and K(A)=(6.27+/-0.42)x10(4) L/mol.     

Real-time monitoring of formaldehyde-induced DNA-lysozyme cross-linking with piezoelectric quartz crystal impedance analysis

A novel method for monitoring, in real time, the formaldehyde (FA)-induced DNA-protein cross-linking process with the piezoelectric quartz crystal impedance (PQCI) technique is proposed. The method was used to monitor FA-induced DNA-lysozyme cross-link formation. Lysozyme was directly immobilized on the silver electrode surface of a piezoelectric quartz crystal by adsorption. The lysozyme-coated piezoelectric sensor was in contact with FA and DNA solutions. The time courses of the resonant frequency and equivalent circuit parameters of the sensor during the cross-linking were simultaneously obtained and are discussed in detail. On the basis of the feature of the multi-dimensional information provided by the PQCI technique, it was concluded that the observed frequency decrease could be mainly ascribed to the mass increase resulting from the cross-linking. According to the frequency decrease with time, the kinetics of the cross-linking process were quantitatively studied. A piezoelectric response model for the cross-linking was theoretically derived. Fitting the experimental data to the model, the kinetic parameters, such as the binding and dissociation rate constants (k(1) and k(-1)) and the cross-linking equilibrium constant (Ka), were determined. At 37 degrees C, the k(1), k(-1) and Ka values obtained were 7.0 (+/-0.1) x 10(-5) (microg ml(-1))(-1) s(-1), 6.6 (+/-0.1) x 10(-3) s(-1) and 1.06 (+/-0.02) x 10(-2) (microg ml(-1))(-1), respectively.     

A simplified enzyme-based fiber optic sensor for hydrogen peroxide and oxidase substrates

A simplified enzyme-based fiber optic sensor system has been developed for selective determination of hydrogen peroxide. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is immobilized on bovine albumin matrix with glutaraldehyde. A new fluorimetric substrate, thiamine is used to indicate the sensing process. Under optimized condition the measuring range of sensor is up to 1 x 10(-4)M hydrogen peroxide with a limit of detection of 5 x 10(-7)M in a 5 min response period. It can be easily incorporated in multienzyme sensors for biochemical substances which produce hydrogen peroxide under catalytic oxidation by their oxidase. This possibility has been tested for the determination of uric acid, D-amino acid, L-amino acid, glucose cholesterol, choline and acetylcholine, respectively, using a membrane with co-immobilized oxidase and horseradish peroxidase.     

Development of molecularly imprinted polymer films used for detection of profenofos based on a quartz crystal microbalance sensor

A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor based on molecularly imprinted ultra-thin films was developed for detecting profenofos in real samples. Films prepared by physical entrapment (MIP-A) and in situ self-assembly (MIP-B) were compared. The results indicated that the best sensing signal was obtained through the in situ self-assembly method. The QCM sensor chip was pretreated with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), and then polymer films were immobilized directly on the SAM using surface-initiated radical polymerization. In this paper, all detection experiments were taken in air. The reaction was processed in solution, and the electrode was washed with deionized water and dried with N(2) before QCM measurement. The film was characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), AC impedance and cyclic voltammetry. Analysis of the QCM response in the presence of different concentrations of profenofos showed a good linear correlation during 1.0 × 10(-8) to 1.0 × 10(-5) mg mL(-1) (y = 5log x + 42.5, R = 0.9960) and 1.0 × 10(-5) to 1.0 × 10(-3) mg mL(-1) (y = 25.86log x + 146, R = 0.9959), respectively. The MIP-QCM sensor was used to detect profenofos in tap water, and showed good recovery and repeatability.     

Internal solid contact sensor for the determination of doxycycline hydrochloride in pharmaceutical formulation

The internal solid contact sensor for the determination of doxycycline hydrochloride (DC) was developed based on a conducting polypyrrole (PPy) film immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode surface casted by a plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane containing an ion-pair compound of DC with tetraphenylborate (TPB) and dibutylphthalate (DBP) as plasticizer. Effects of various factors for the electropolymerization of pyrrole or aniline, including monomer concentration, acidity or inorganic salt and thickness of polymer film were investigated experimentally. It was found that the slope and the linear range of SCSs changed with both the different concentration of monomer and of KCl in electrolyte solution and with the different substrate material and a marked influence of the change of solution pH on the potential response of sensor occurred when sample solution pH>3.5. Under the condition of pH 2.8, the sensor showed a near-Nernstian response over the range of DC concentration of 1.0x10(-2)-1.0x10(-5) mol l(-1) with the slope (at 25 degrees C) of 54.4 mV per decade. The detection limit obtained was 4.0x10(-6) mol l(-1).The sensor was successfully applied to determination of DC in pharmaceutical formulation.     

Development of a new flow-through bulk optode for the determination of manganese(III)

A flow-through bulk optode based on the use of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) immobilized in a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membrane entrapped in a cellulose support, in conjuntion with the flow injection analysis technique, is proposed for the determination of manganese(II). The calibration graph obtained at 570 nm was linear in the range 0.27-27.5 mg L(-1) (5 x 10(-6)-5 x 10(-4) M) Mn(II) with a detection limit of 0.18 mg L(-1). The coefficients of variation of the sensor response for 5.5 mg L(-1) of Mn(II) were +/-0.22% for consecutive measurements (n = 10), +/-0.48% between days (n = 5) and +/-0.38% between different membranes (n = 6). The sensor was readily regenerated with the carrier acetic acid/acetate buffer of pH 4.5. The method was applied to the determination of manganese in steels, waters and lemon tree leaves.     

Covalently immobilized aminonaphthalimide as fluorescent carrier for the preparation of optical sensors

By replacing the hydrogen of the 4-amino group of a 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide derivative with an N-acryloxyethyl group, the fluorophore has been covalently immobilized on an optical sensor surface by UV photopolymerization. The optical sensor obtained can be used for the determination of picric acid. The linear range and detection limit of the sensor are 9.80x10(-7)-1.96x10(-4) mol L(-1) and 7.1x10(-7) mol L(-1), respectively. Leaching of the fluorophore from the membrane is effectively prevented by covalent immobilization, resulting in a sensor with a relatively long lifetime. The response time of the sensor is short, and the reproducibility and reversibility are good. The sensor has been used for the indirect determination of the chloroquine content of pharmaceutical tablets.     

Kinetic flow-injection determination of hydrogen peroxide by use of iron(III)-catalyzed coloration and its application to the determination of biological substances.

A kinetic flow-injection (FI) method is described for the determination of hydrogen peroxide. This method is based on an iron(III)-catalyzed oxidative coupling of 4-aminoantipyrine with N,N-dimethylaniline by hydrogen peroxide. By measuring the change in the absorbance of the dye formed at 560 nm, 1 x 10(-6) - 6 x 10(-4) M hydrogen peroxide could be determined with a sampling rate of 15 h(-1). The relative standard deviation (n = 30) was 0.8% for 5 x 10(-5) M hydrogen peroxide. There was little interference of the co-existing ions and compounds. After introducing some immobilized enzyme reactors to the FI system, the proposed method allowed the determination of glucose and uric acid ranging from 1 x 10(-6) to 6 x 10(-4) M with relative standard deviations of below 2%. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by determining these substances in serum samples.     

A comparative physical study of two different hydrophilic synthetic latex matrices for the construction of a glucose biosensor

Two different biodegradable latex polymers functionalised by hydroxy (1) or gluconamide (2) groups proved to be good immobilisation matrixes for glucose oxidase. The responses of these biosensors to glucose additions were 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 oxygen. The response of such electrodes was evaluated as a function of film thickness, pH and temperature. Rotating disk electrode experiments showed the influence of the enzyme on the structure of both latex films, namely a marked improvement in matrix permeability. The high permeability of the latex 1 based enzyme sensor (bilayer, P(m)=8.10x10(-4) cm s(-1)) resulted in a high dynamic range. Furthermore, the activation energy for a latex 1 sensor was determined to be 44.55 and 18.03 kJ mol(-1), respectively depending on the conformation of the enzyme.     

Study of carbon nanotubes-HRP modified electrode and its application for novel on-line biosensors

In this paper, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were successfully immobilized on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode by mixing with horse-radish peroxidase (HRP). The electrochemical behavior of H2O2 was also studied with the MWCNTs-HRP modified electrode as a working electrode. The MWCNTs-HRP modified electrode showed excellent response of reduction current for the determination of H2O2 at the potential of -300 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl). We assembled the MWCNTs-HRP modified electrode in a thin-layer flow cell and the H2O2 solution was continuously introduced into the cell with a syringe pump. We optimized the sensitivity of the H2O2 sensor by adjusting the working potential and the pH of the buffer solution. The peak current increased linearly with the concentration of H2O2 in the range 3.0 x 10(-7) to approximately 2.0 x 10(-4) mol L(-1). The detection limit is 1.0 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) (S/N = 3). The interferences from ascorbic acid, uric acid and other electroactive substances can be greatly excluded since the sensor can be operated at -300 mV. Stability and reproducibility of the MWCNTs-HRP chemically modified electrode were also studied in this paper. Fabricated with glucose and lactate oxidase, the MWCNTs-HRP electrode was also applied to prepare the on-line glucose and lactate biosensors because of the high sensitivity for the determination of H2O2.     

A flow cell optosensor for lead based on immobilized gallocynin in chitosan membrane

Gallocynin immobilized in chitosan membrane has been studied as a sensor element of an optical sensor for lead using a flowing system. By using this set up, lead in solution has been determined in the concentration range from 1.0x10(-1) to 1.0x10(3) ppm with a detection limit of 0.075 ppm. The standard deviation of the method for the repeatability of lead detection at a concentration of 100 ppm was found to be 2.10%. The response of the sensor was reproducible and can be regenerated by using acidified saturated KNO(3) solution. Interference from foreign ions was also studied at 1:1 mole ratio of Pb(II):foreign ions.     

Evaluation of a glucose sensing antibody using weak affinity chromatography

Continuous monitoring of drug levels and endogenous molecules in biological fluids is a developing research area with many applications. One example is the need to improve life for millions of diabetes mellitus patients by continuously monitoring the glucose level. In order to have a dynamic response, the recognition molecule in a continuous sensor should preferentially have a fast dissociation rate and a dissociation constant in the millimolar range. We have evaluated the monoclonal antibody (mAb) 3F1E8-A2 for its potential to be used in a future glucose sensor application. The mAb was generated from hybridomas by immunizing mice with 10 kDa dextran (an alpha1,6-glucose polymer) with the aim of obtaining mAbs that can recognize the glucose monomer. The mAb was immobilized to macroporous silica and the interaction with dextran-derived oligosaccharides was evaluated with weak affinity chromatography (WAC). To measure the low affinities between the mAb 3F1E8-A2 and different monosaccharides, a competitive weak affinity chromatography approach was employed. It was found that the mAb had a higher specificity for glucose compared with other monosaccharides and the dissociation constant (K(d)) towards glucose was determined as 18.8 +/- 2.6 mm.