Development of an Optical Fiber Lactate Sensor

Lactate analysis is important in clinical diagnostics and the food industry. An ultrasensitive optical fiber lactate sensor with rapid response time and 50?μm size has been developed. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) has been directly immobilized onto an optical fiber probe surface through covalent binding mechanisms. The optical fiber surface is initially activated by silanization, which adds amine groups (–NH₂) to the surface. Aldehyde functional groups (–CHO) are then affixed to the optical fiber surface by employing a bifunctional cross-linking agent, glutaraldehyde. The amino acids of LDH enzyme molecules readily attach to these free -CHO groups on the fiber surface. Optimal immobilization of LDH occurs between 19 and 23 hours of exposure in the enzyme solution. The immobilized LDH enzyme molecules on the fiber surface show high enzymatic activity. The lactate sensor is able to detect lactate with a concentration detection limit of 0.5?μM and the absolute mass detection limit is 8.75 attomoles. Moreover, the sensor rapidly responds to lactate changes and exhibits good reproducibility. The lactate sensor is extremely selective. This immobilized enzyme sensor has been applied to accurately determine the lactate content in food samples.