Plant tissue-based bioselective membrane electrode for glutamate

A novel potentiometric membrane electrode with selective response to L-glutamate over the 2 × 10^-4–1.3 × 10^-2 M concentration range is constructed by immobilizing slices of yellow squash tissue at a CO₂ gas sensor. This system represents the first successful use of intact plant materials as biocatalysts in the construction of bioselective potentiometric membrane electrodes; as a result, the range of future possibilities may be greatly extended. The glutamate-sensing electrode combines excellent selectivity characteristics over some 25 possible interferences tested, good reproducibility, and a useful lifetime of 7 days in aqueous samples.