Simultaneous enzymatic determination of glucose and ascorbic acid using flow-injection amperometry

A high sensitivity MEA probe for measuring real time rat brain glucose flux

The mammalian central nervous system (CNS) relies on a constant supply of external glucose for its undisturbed operation. This article presents an implantable Multi-Electrode Array (MEA) probe for brain glucose measurement. The MEA was implemented on Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) wafer using Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) methods. There were 16 platinum recording sites on the probe and enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized on them. The glucose sensitivity of the MEA probe was as high as 489 µA mM(-1) cm(-2). 1,3-Phenylenediamine (mPD) was electropolymerized onto the Pt recording surfaces to prevent larger molecules such as ascorbic acid (AA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), serotonin (5-HT), and dopamine (DA) from reaching the recording sites surface. The MEA probe was implanted in the anesthetized rat striatum and responded to glucose levels which were altered by intraperitoneal injection of glucose and insulin. After the in vivo experiment, the MEA probe still kept sensitivity to glucose, these suggested that the MEA probe was reliable for glucose monitoring in brain extracellular fluid (ECF).

Determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceuticals and urine by reverse flow injection

Two reverse flow injection (FI) methods, using spectrophotometric detection, are proposed for the determination of ascorbic acid. Both methods are based on its reaction with the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-CoIII complex in a medium of 5% diethylamine. In the first method, using the peak-height FI technique, ascorbic acid is determined over the range from 2 x 10(-4) to 5 x 10(-3) mol dm-3 and in the second, using the peak-width FI method, the working range is extended (2 x 10(-3)-5 x 10(-2) mol dm-3). Both FI methods were applied to the determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceuticals while the peak-height FI technique was also used to determine ascorbic acid in urine.