Construction of a guanine enzyme electrode and determination of guanase in human blood serum with an ammonia gas sensor

The guanine electrode is based on guanase used with an ammonia gas-sensing membrane electrode; immobilization of the enzyme is optimized. Guanine in the range 10^-4–10^-2 M gives a linear potential vs. log(concentration) plot with a response time of 4–1.5 min over the range specified. Guanase (0.12–12 I.U. I^-1) is determined in serum by adding guanine to the sample, and measuring the ammonia evolved with the gas-sensing electrode. Results compare favourably with the xanthine oxidase method.