Flow injection analysis as a diagnostic technique for development and testing of chemical sensors

An immobilized urease sensor is developed for continuous, on-line analysis. The sensor consists of the enzyme urease, cross-linked with bovine serum albumin into a cellulose pad, with an acid-base indicator dye covalently bound to the surface of the cellulose. The sensor is placed within a flow-injection optosensing system to monitor the change in pH, and subjected to a through evaluation, using the flow-injection technique; sensor stability (both dye and enzyme stability), speed of sensor response, sensor sensitivity, sensor-to-sensor reproducibility, response to a typical interferent, and sensor lifetime data are obtained. Sensor poisoning upon exposure to low levels of mercury, and subsequent regeneration of the immobilized enzyme pad, is investigated for use as an on-line mercury sensor. The urea sensor is also evaluated for use as a continuous monitor for urea in kidney dialysate. Enzyme Michaelis-Menten constants are determined for the immobilized urease, under given assay conditions, using a stopped-flow flow-injection technique.