Biosensors for environmental applications

Enhancing the substrate selectivity of enzyme mimetics in biosensing and bioassay: Novel approaches

A substantial development in nanoscale materials possessing catalytic activities comparable with natural enzymes has been accomplished. Their advantages were owing to the excellent sturdiness in an extreme environment, possibilities of their large-scale production resulting in higher profitability, and easy manipulation for modification. Despite these advantages, the main challenge for artificial enzyme mimetics is the lack of substrate selectivity where natural enzymes flourish. This review addresses this vital problem by introducing substrate selectivity strategies to three classes of artificial enzymes: molecularly imprinted polymers, nanozymes (NZs), and DNAzymes. These rationally designed strategies enhance the substrate selectivity and are discussed and exemplified throughout the review. Various functional mechanisms associated with applying enzyme mimetics in biosensing and bioassays are also given. Eventually, future directives toward enhancing the substrate selectivity of biomimetics and related challenges are discussed and evaluated based on their efficiency and convenience in biosensing and bioassays.

Development of an aptasensor for dibutyl phthalate detection and the elucidation of assay inhibition factors

We developed a fluorescence aptasensor (hereafter 'SG-aptasensor') using SYBR Green I, a newly truncated 20-mer aptamer, and probe DNA to detect dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The detection range of DBP was 0.1-100 ng L-1 with 0.08 ng L-1 as the limit of detection. To adapt the assay to environmental samples in the near future, possible inhibition factors (experimental and environmental) have been tested and reported. The experimental inhibitors included the incubation time, temperature, pH, and ionic strength. Consequently, temperature (2-25 °C) and pH (7.0-9.0) ranges did not significantly inhibit the assay. The incubation time required for sufficient reaction was at least 4 h, and a relative humidity <20% may have induced fluorescence quenching. Tris-HCl-based incubation buffer with excess ionic strength (more than 0.2 M NaCl) demonstrated an abnormal increase in fluorescence. Environmental inhibitors including cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, and Cu2+) and humic acids were tested. The fluorescence signal was significantly reduced (∼99%) by 100 mM Cu2+ compared to that by 0 mM Cu2+. In contrast, the reduction in fluorescence signal was marginal (<15%) when Mg2+ or Ca2+ ions were present. Inhibition of the assay was observed (∼28%) in the presence of 100 mg L-1 humic acids.

Emerging bioanalytical sensors for rapid and close-to-real-time detection of priority abiotic and biotic stressors in aquaculture and culture-based fisheries

Abiotic stresses of various chemical contamination of physical, inorganic, organic and biotoxin origin and biotic stresses of bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal origins are the significant constraints in achieving higher aquaculture production. Testing and rapid detection of these chemical and microbial contaminants are crucial in identifying and mitigating abiotic and biotic stresses, which has become one of the most challenging aspects in aquaculture and culture-based fisheries. The classical analytical techniques, including titrimetric methods, spectrophotometric, mass spectrometric, spectroscopic, and chromatographic techniques, are tedious and sometimes inaccessible when required. The development of novel and improved bioanalytical methods for rapid, selective and sensitive detection is a wide and dynamic field of research. Biosensors offer precise detection of biotic and abiotic stressors in aquaculture and culture-based fisheries within no time. This review article allows filling the knowledge gap for detection and monitoring of chemical and microbial contaminants of abiotic and biotic origin in aquaculture and culture-based fisheries using nano(bio-) analytical technologies, including nano(bio-)molecular and nano(bio-)sensing techniques.

An Allosteric Transcription Factor DNA-Binding Electrochemical Biosensor for Progesterone

We describe an electrochemical strategy to transduce allosteric transcription factor (aTF) binding affinity to sense steroid hormones. Our approach utilizes square wave voltammetry to monitor changes in current output as a progesterone (PRG)-specific aTF (SRTF1) unbinds from the cognate DNA sequence in the presence of PRG. The sensor detects PRG in artificial urine samples with sufficient sensitivity suitable for clinical applications. Our results highlight the capability of using aTFs as the biorecognition elements to develop electrochemical point-of-care biosensors for the detection of small-molecule biomarkers and analytes.

Innovative electrochemical biosensor for toxicological investigations on algae and cyanobacteria

An electrochemical biosensor is presented that directly reflects the metabolic activity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. This biosensor can be used measure the biological activity of bacteria, yeasts and mammalian cells. This makes the sensor interesting for various applications in industry and science. A possible application is bioprocess control, monitor activities from yeasts, bacteria and fungi to increase the yield. Other applications are starter culture quality studies in the food industry and cytoxicological evaluation with mammalian cells. Our latest investigations additionally indicate the applicability of the electrochemical biosensor to measure algae and cyanobacteria. In our investigations, we were able to show that it was also possible to detect photosynthetic organisms with the electrochemical measurement method, used for investigations on prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms before. Therefore, this the present study demonstrates an alternative to using this electrochemical biosensor equipped with alga and cyanobacteria for toxicological investigations based on selected test chemicals. The results of this study show a good correlation with those from reference methods, such as the Algal Growth Inhibition Test and the Microtox Test. The advantages of the new electrochemical biosensor are easy handling and shorter measurement time by using different types of test organisms. The evaluation of the sensor signal is based on the current-time curves of a potentiostatic measurement produced by the detection of microbially reduced mediator molecules immobilized in a gel structure. The mediator molecules are reduced during the measurement process. The reduced mediator molecules produce a current signal, which rapidly provides information about the vigor and vitality of living bacteria, yeasts, fungi or cells.

Theoretical and Numerical Analysis of Nonlinear Processes in Amperometric Enzyme Electrodes with Cyclic Substrate Conversion

A theoretical model of amperometric enzyme electrodes has been developed in which chemical amplification occurs in a single enzyme membrane via cyclic substrate conversion. The system is based on non-stationary diffusion equations with a nonlinear factor related to the Michaelis–Menten kinetics of the enzymatic reaction. By solving the nonlinear equations using the AGM technique, simple analytical expressions of concentration substrate, product, and amperometric current response are derived. Further, biosensor sensitivity, resistance, and gain are obtained from the current. MATLAB programming was used to carry out the digital simulation. The analytical results are validated with the numerical results. The effect of substrate concentration, maximum enzymatic rate, and membrane thickness on biosensor response was evaluated.

Mathematical Analysis of Reaction-Diffusion Equations Modeling the Michaelis-Menten Kinetics in a Micro-Disk Biosensor

In this study, we have investigated the mathematical model of an immobilized enzyme system that follows the Michaelis-Menten (MM) kinetics for a micro-disk biosensor. The film reaction model under steady state conditions is transformed into a couple differential equations which are based on dimensionless concentration of hydrogen peroxide with enzyme reaction (H) and substrate (S) within the biosensor. The model is based on a reaction-diffusion equation which contains highly non-linear terms related to MM kinetics of the enzymatic reaction. Further, to calculate the effect of variations in parameters on the dimensionless concentration of substrate and hydrogen peroxide, we have strengthened the computational ability of neural network (NN) architecture by using a backpropagated Levenberg-Marquardt training (LMT) algorithm. NNs-LMT algorithm is a supervised machine learning for which the initial data set is generated by using MATLAB built in function known as "pdex4". Furthermore, the data set is validated by the processing of the NNs-LMT algorithm to find the approximate solutions for different scenarios and cases of mathematical model of micro-disk biosensors. Absolute errors, curve fitting, error histograms, regression and complexity analysis further validate the accuracy and robustness of the technique.

Graphene field-effect transistors as bioanalytical sensors: design, operation and performance

Graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) are emerging as bioanalytical sensors, in which their responsive electrical conductance is used to perform quantitative analyses of biologically-relevant molecules such as DNA, proteins, ions and small molecules. This review provides a detailed evaluation of reported approaches in the design, operation and performance assessment of GFET biosensors. We first dissect key design elements of these devices, along with most common approaches for their fabrication. We compare possible modes of operation of GFETs as sensors, including transfer curves, output curves and time series as well as their integration in real-time or a posteriori protocols. Finally, we review performance metrics reported for the detection and quantification of bioanalytes, and discuss limitations and best practices to optimize the use of GFETs as bioanalytical sensors.

Hydrogel-Fractal Piezoelectric Bilayer Transducer for Wireless Biochemical Sensing

This paper reports on a novel transducer for wireless biochemical sensing. The bilayer transducer consists of a fractal piezoelectric membrane and pH-sensitive chemo-mechanical hydrogel, which overcomes many shortcomings in the chemical and biochemical sensing. The fractal design on the piezoelectric membrane enhances frequency response and linearity by employing periodically repeated pore architecture. As a basis of the pore, a Hilbert space-filling curve with modifications is used. On the surface of the fractal piezoelectric membrane, the hydrogel is laminated. When the bilayer transducer is introduced to a pH environment (e.g., pH = 4, 8, and 12), the hydrogel swells (or shrinks) and induces the curling of the bilayer transducer (10.47°/pH). The curvature then exhibits various ultrasound responses when the bilayer transducer was excited. The measured voltage outputs using an ultrasonic receiver were 0.393, 0.341, 0.250 mV/cm² when curvature angles were 30°, 60°, and 120°, respectively. Overall pH sensitivity was 0.017 mV/cm²/pH. Ultimately, the biochemical sensing principle using a novel bilayer ultrasound transducer suggests a simple, low-cost, battery-less, and long-range wireless readout system as compared to traditional biochemical sensing.

Voltammetric detection of miRNA hybridization based on electroactive indicator-cobalt phenanthroline

The indicator-based nucleic acid detection protocol is one of the major approaches to monitor the sequence-selective nucleic acid hybridization-mediated recognition events in biochemical analysis. The metal complex, cobalt phenanthroline, [Co(phen)33+], which is one of the electroactive indicators, interacts more with double stranded nucleic acids via intercalation. Thus, this interaction permits an increase at the electrochemical signal of [Co(phen)33+]. In our study, the interaction of metal complex, [Co(phen)33+] with nucleic acids was examined using pencil graphite electrodes (PGEs) in combination with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. The voltammetric detection of miRNA-34a was investigated based on the changes at the electrochemical signal of [Co(phen)33+] under optimized experimental conditions; such as accumulation potentialof metal complex and DNA probe concentration, hybridization time, target miRNA concentration. Furthermore, the selectivity of electrochemical miRNA-34a biosensor was studied in contrast to different miRNAs. The applicability of indicator-based biosensor specific to miRNA-34a was also presented by using total RNA samples.

Lipase, Phospholipase, and Esterase Biosensors (Review)

A biosensor is a device composed by a biological recognition element and a transducer that delivers selective information about a specific analyte. Technological and scientific advances in the area of biology, bioengineering, catalysts, electrochemistry, nanomaterials, microelectronics, and microfluidics have improved the design and performance of better biosensors. Enzymatic biosensors based on lipases, esterases, and phospholipases are valuable analytical apparatus which have been applied in food industry, oleochemical industry, biodegradable polymers, environmental science, and overall the medical area as diagnostic tools to detect cholesterol and triglyceride levels in blood samples. This chapter reviews recent developments and applications of lipase-, esterase-, and phospholipase-based biosensors.

Bioethanol in Biofuels Checked by an Amperometric Organic Phase Enzyme Electrode (OPEE) Working in "Substrate Antagonism" Format

The bioethanol content of two samples of biofuels was determined directly, after simple dilution in decane, by means of an amperometric catalase enzyme biosensor working in the organic phase, based on substrate antagonisms format. The results were good from the point of view of accuracy, and satisfactory for what concerns the recovery test by the standard addition method. Limit of detection (LOD) was on the order of 2.5 × 10(-5) M.

Methods for evaluating the pollution impact of urban wet weather discharges on biocenosis: A review

Rainwater becomes loaded with a large number of pollutants when in contact with the atmosphere and urban surfaces. These pollutants (such as metals, pesticides, PAHs, PCBs) reduce the quality of water bodies. As it is now acknowledged that physico-chemical analyses alone are insufficient for identifying an ecological impact, these analyses are frequently completed or replaced by impact studies communities living in freshwater ecosystems (requiring biological indices), ecotoxicological studies, etc. Thus, different monitoring strategies have been developed over recent decades aimed at evaluating the impact of the pollution brought by urban wet weather discharges on the biocenosis of receiving aquatic ecosystems. The purpose of this review is to establish a synthetic and critical view of these different methods used, to define their advantages and disadvantages, and to provide recommendations for futures researches. Although studies on aquatic communities are used efficiently, notably on benthic macroinvertebrates, they are difficult to interpret. In addition, despite the fact that certain bioassays lack representativeness, the literature at present appears meagre regarding ecotoxicological studies conducted in situ. However, new tools for studying urban wet weather discharges have emerged, namely biosensors. The advantages of biosensors are that they allow monitoring the impact of discharges in situ and continuously. However, only one study on this subject has been identified so far, making it necessary to perform further research in this direction.

Nanomaterials for biocatalyst immobilization – state of the art and future trends

Advantages, drawbacks and trends in nanomaterials for enzyme immobilization.

Microencapsulated Aliivibrio fischeri in alginate microspheres for monitoring heavy metal toxicity in environmental waters

In this article a luminescence fiber optic biosensor for the microdetection of heavy metal toxicity in waters based on the marine bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri (A. fischeri) encapsulated in alginate microspheres is described. Cu(II), Cd(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), Cr(VI), Co(II), Ni(II), Ag(I) and Fe(II) were selected as sample toxic heavy metal ions for evaluation of the performance of this toxicity microbiosensor. The loss of bioluminescence response from immobilized A. fischeri bacterial cells corresponds to changes in the toxicity levels. The inhibition of the luminescent biosensor response collected at excitation and emission wavelengths of 287 ± 2 nm and 487 ± 2 nm, respectively, was found to be reproducible and repeatable within the relative standard deviation (RSD) range of 2.4-5.7% (n = 8). The toxicity biosensor based on alginate micropsheres exhibited a lower limit of detection (LOD) for Cu(II) (6.40 μg/L), Cd(II) (1.56 μg/L), Pb(II) (47 μg/L), Ag(I) (18 μg/L) than Zn(II) (320 μg/L), Cr(VI) (1,000 μg/L), Co(II) (1700 μg/L), Ni(II) (2800 μg/L), and Fe(III) (3100 μg/L). Such LOD values are lower when compared with other previous reported whole cell toxicity biosensors using agar gel, agarose gel and cellulose membrane biomatrices used for the immobilization of bacterial cells. The A. fischeri bacteria microencapsulated in alginate biopolymer could maintain their metabolic activity for a prolonged period of up to six weeks without any noticeable changes in the bioluminescence response. The bioluminescent biosensor could also be used for the determination of antagonistic toxicity levels for toxicant mixtures. A comparison of the results obtained by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and using the proposed luminescent A. fischeri-based biosensor suggests that the optical toxicity biosensor can be used for quantitative microdetermination of heavy metal toxicity in environmental water samples.

New Strategy for the Cleaning of Paper Artworks: A Smart Combination of Gels and Biosensors

In this work an outlook on the design and application, in the cultural heritage field, of new tools for diagnostic and cleaning use, based on biocompatible hydrogels and electrochemical sensors, is reported. The use of hydrogels is intriguing because it does not require liquid treatment that could induce damage on artworks, while electrochemical biosensors not only are easy to prepare, but also can be selective for a specific compound and therefore are suitable for monitoring the cleaning process. In the field of restoration of paper artworks, more efforts have to be done in order to know how to perform the best way for an effective restoration. Rigid Gellan gel, made up of Gellan gum and calcium acetate, was proposed as a paper cleaning treatment, and selective biosensors for substances to be removed from this gel have been obtained by choosing the appropriate enzymes to be immobilized. Using this approach, it is possible to know when the cleanup process will be completed, avoiding lengthy and sometimes unnecessary cleaning material applications.

Bio-mimetic sensors based on molecularly imprinted membranes

An important challenge for scientific research is the production of artificial systems able to mimic the recognition mechanisms occurring at the molecular level in living systems. A valid contribution in this direction resulted from the development of molecular imprinting. By means of this technology, selective molecular recognition sites are introduced in a polymer, thus conferring it bio-mimetic properties. The potential applications of these systems include affinity separations, medical diagnostics, drug delivery, catalysis, etc. Recently, bio-sensing systems using molecularly imprinted membranes, a special form of imprinted polymers, have received the attention of scientists in various fields. In these systems imprinted membranes are used as bio-mimetic recognition elements which are integrated with a transducer component. The direct and rapid determination of an interaction between the recognition element and the target analyte (template) was an encouraging factor for the development of such systems as alternatives to traditional bio-assay methods. Due to their high stability, sensitivity and specificity, bio-mimetic sensors-based membranes are used for environmental, food, and clinical uses. This review deals with the development of molecularly imprinted polymers and their different preparation methods. Referring to the last decades, the application of these membranes as bio-mimetic sensor devices will be also reported.

Environmental applications of photoluminescence-based biosensors

For monitoring and treatment of soil and water, environmental scientists and engineers require measurements of the concentration of chemical contaminants. Although laboratory-based methods relying on gas or liquid chromatography can yield very accurate measurements, they are also complex, time consuming, expensive, and require sample pretreatment. Furthermore, they are not readily adapted for in situ measurements.Sensors are devices that can provide continuous, in situ measurements, ideally without the addition of reagents. A biosensor incorporates a biological component coupled to a transducer, which translates the interaction between the analyte and the biocomponent into a signal that can be processed and reported. A wide range of transducers have been employed in biosensors, the most common of which are electrochemical and optical. In this contribution, we focus on photoluminescence-based biosensors of potential use in the applications described above.Following a review of photoluminescence and a discussion of the optoelectronic hardware part of these biosensor systems, we provide explanations and examples of optical biosensors for specific chemical groups: hydrocarbons and alcohols, halogenated organics, nitro-, phospho-, sulfo-, and other substituted organics, and metals and other inorganics. We also describe approaches that have been taken to describe chemical mixtures as a whole (biological oxygen demand and toxicity) since most environmental samples contain mixtures of unknown (and changing) composition. Finally, we end with some thoughts on future research directions that are necessary to achieve the full potential of environmental biosensors.

Sol-gel silica platforms for microalgae-based optical biosensors

An advanced hybrid biosensing platform with improved optical quality is developed based on the acidic encapsulation of microalgi in silica matrices synthesized by TAFR (tetraethoxysilane derived alcohol free route). The three microalgi (Chlorella vulgaris, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) were previously immobilized in alginate following the two-step procedure. Tuning the alginate protecting function with the aid of Tris-HCl buffer, the sol-gel synthesis was conducted at pH 4.0 well below the tolerance limit imposed by the encapsulated microalgae. The acidic condensation of Si(IV) generates silica matrices with outstanding optical properties that suit the requirements of biosensors based on optical detection methods.

Microalgae dual-head biosensors for selective detection of herbicides with fiber-optic luminescent O2 transduction

The microalgal species Dictyosphaerium chlorelloides (D. c.) was immobilized into porous silicone films and their photosynthetic activity was monitored with an integrated robust luminescent O2 sensor. The biosensor specificity towards a particular pesticide has been achieved by manufacturing a fiber-optic dual-head device containing both analyte-sensitive and analyte-resistant D. c. strains. The latter are not genetically modified microalgae, but a product of modified Luria-Delbrück fluctuation analysis followed by ratchet selection cycles. In this way the target herbicide decreases the O2 production of the analyte-sensitive immobilized strain without affecting the analyte-resistant population response; any other pollutant will lower the O2 production of both strains. The effect of the sample flow-rate, exposure time to the herbicide, biomass loading, biosensor film thickness, intensity of the actinic light, illumination cycle, and temperature on the biosensor response has been evaluated using waterborne simazine as test bench. The biosensing device is able to provide in situ measurements of the herbicide concentration every 180 min. The biosensor limit of detection for this herbicide was 12 μg L(-1), with a working range of 50-800 μg L(-1). The biosensor specificity to simazine has been assessed by comparing its response to that of isoproturon.

Performance of a cyanobacteria whole cell-based fluorescence biosensor for heavy metal and pesticide detection

Whole cell biosensors always face the challenge of low stability of biological components and short storage life. This paper reports the effects of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) immobilization on a whole cell fluorescence biosensor for the detection of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd), and pesticides (dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), and chlorpyrifos). The biosensor was produced by entrapping the cyanobacterium Anabaena torulosa on a cellulose membrane, followed by applying a layer of pHEMA, and attaching it to a well. The well was then fixed to an optical probe which was connected to a fluorescence spectrophotometer and an electronic reader. The optimization of the biosensor using several factors such as amount of HEMA and drying temperature were undertaken. The detection limits of biosensor without pHEMA for Cu, Cd, Pb, 2,4-D and chlorpyrifos were 1.195, 0.027, 0.0100, 0.025 and 0.025 μg/L respectively. The presence of pHEMA increased the limits of detection to 1.410, 0.250, 0.500, 0.235 and 0.117 μg/L respectively. pHEMA is known to enhance the reproducibility of the biosensor with average relative standard deviation (RSD) of ±1.76% for all the pollutants tested, 48% better than the biosensor without pHEMA (RSD = ±3.73%). In storability test with Cu 5 μg/L, the biosensor with pHEMA performed 11.5% better than the test without pHEMA on day-10 and 5.2% better on day-25. pHEMA is therefore a good candidate to be used in whole cell biosensors as it increases reproducibility and enhances biosensor storability.

Fresh broad (Vicia faba) tissue homogenate-based biosensor for determination of phenolic compounds

In this study, a novel fresh broad (Vicia faba) tissue homogenate-based biosensor for determination of phenolic compounds was developed. The biosensor was constructed by immobilizing tissue homogenate of fresh broad (Vicia faba) on to glassy carbon electrode. For the stability of the biosensor, general immobilization techniques were used to secure the fresh broad tissue homogenate in gelatin-glutaraldehyde cross-linking matrix. In the optimization and characterization studies, the amount of fresh broad tissue homogenate and gelatin, glutaraldehyde percentage, optimum pH, optimum temperature and optimum buffer concentration, thermal stability, interference effects, linear range, storage stability, repeatability and sample applications (Wine, beer, fruit juices) were also investigated. Besides, the detection ranges of thirteen phenolic compounds were obtained with the help of the calibration graphs. A typical calibration curve for the sensor revealed a linear range of 5-60 μM catechol. In reproducibility studies, variation coefficient (CV) and standard deviation (SD) were calculated as 1.59%, 0.64×10(-3) μM, respectively.

Integrated microspectrometer for fluorescence based analysis in a microfluidic format

We have demonstrated a monolithic integrated arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) microspectrometer microfluidic platform capable of fluorescence spectroscopic analysis. The microspectrometer in this proof of concept study has a small (1 cm × 1 cm) footprint and 8 output channels centred on different wavelengths. We show that the signals from the output channels detected on a camera chip can be used to recreate the complete fluorescence spectrum of an analyte. By making fluorescence measurements of (i) mixed quantum dot solutions, (ii) an organic fluorophore (Cy5) and (iii) the propidium iodide (PI)-DNA assay, we illustrate the unique advantages of the AWG platform for simultaneous, quantitative multiplex detection and its capability to detect small spectroscopic shifts. Although the current system is designed for fluorescence spectroscopic analysis, in principle, it can be implemented for other types of analysis, such as Raman spectroscopy. Fabricated using established semiconductor industry methods, this miniaturised platform holds great potential to create a handheld, low cost biosensor with versatile detection capability.

Modelling of amperometric biosensor used for synergistic substrates determination

In this paper the operation of an amperometric biosensor producing a chemically amplified signal is modelled numerically. The chemical amplification is achieved by using synergistic substrates. The model is based on non-stationary reaction-diffusion equations. The model involves three layers (compartments): a layer of enzyme solution entrapped on the electrode surface, a dialysis membrane covering the enzyme layer and an outer diffusion layer which is modelled by the Nernst approach. The equation system is solved numerically by using the finite difference technique. The biosensor response and sensitivity are investigated by altering the model parameters influencing the enzyme kinetics as well as the mass transport by diffusion. The biosensor action was analyzed with a special emphasis to the effect of the chemical amplification. The simulation results qualitatively explain and confirm the experimentally observed effect of the synergistic substrates conversion on the biosensor response.

Lipase and phospholipase biosensors: a review

Recent advances in the field of biology, electronics, and nanotechnology have improved the development of biosensors. A biosensor is a device composed of a biological recognition element and a sensor element. Biosensor applications are becoming increasingly important in areas such as biotechnology, pharmaceutics, food, and environment. Lipases and phospholipases are enzymes which have been used widely in food industry, oleochemical industry, biodegradable polymers, detergents, and other applications. In the medical industry, lipases and phospholipases are used as diagnostic tools to detect triglycerides, cholesterol, and phospholipids levels in blood samples. Therefore, the development of lipase and phospholipase biosensors is of paramount importance in the clinical area. This chapter introduces the reader into the preliminaries of biosensor and reviews recent developments of lipase and phospholipase biosensors.

Near real-time, on-site, quantitative analysis of PAHs in the aqueous environment using an antibody-based biosensor

Rapid, on-site, quantitative assessments of dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were demonstrated for two field applications. The platform, a KinExA Inline Sensor (Sapidyne Instruments), employed the monoclonal anti-PAH antibody, 7B2.3, which has specificity for 3- to 5-ring PAHs. A spatial study was conducted near a dredging site where contaminated sediments were being removed, and a temporal study was performed during a rainfall event. Most importantly, the generation of near real-time data guided management decisions in the field and determined proper sampling protocols for conventional analyses. The method was able to determine PAH concentrations as low as 0.3 µg/L, within 10 min of sample acquisition, and to assess 80+ samples (not including standards and blanks) in less than 3 d. These results were compared with a laboratory-based gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method in which a wide array of PAHs, including alkylated homologs, were examined. This system shows great promise as a field instrument for the rapid monitoring of PAH pollution.

Dyes assay for measuring physicochemical parameters

A combination of selective fluorescent dyes has been developed for simultaneous quantitative measurements of several physicochemical parameters. The operating principle of the assay is similar to electronic nose and tongue systems, which combine nonspecific or semispecific elements for the determination of diverse analytes and chemometric techniques for multivariate data analysis. The analytical capability of the proposed mixture is engendered by changes in fluorescence signal in response to changes in environment such as pH, temperature, ionic strength, and presence of oxygen. The signal is detected by a three-dimensional spectrofluorimeter, and the acquired data are processed using an artificial neural network (ANN) for multivariate calibration. The fluorescence spectrum of a solution of selected dyes allows discreet reading of emission maxima of all dyes composing the mixture. The variations in peaks intensities caused by environmental changes provide distinctive fluorescence patterns which can be handled in the same way as the signals collected from nose/tongue electrochemical or piezoelectric devices. This optical system opens possibilities for rapid, inexpensive, real-time detection of a multitude of physicochemical parameters and analytes of complex samples.

Immobilized Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) Tissue Electrode for Phenol Detection

A tissue based biosensor for the determination of phenol was developed by using Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) in combination with a dissolved oxygen (DO) probe. The tissue electrode response depends linearly on phenol concentration between 0.002 and 0.0101 microM in 10 min response time. Maximum electrode response was found in phosphate buffer at pH 8.0 and 35 degrees C. The reproducibility of the enzyme electrode was also tested by using standard phenol solutions (0.005 microM). The standard deviation (SD) and variation coefficient (cv) were calculated as +/- 1.4 x 10(-4) microM and 3.1%, respectively.

Biosensor for the determination of phenols based on cross-linked enzyme crystals (CLEC) of laccase

Cross-linked enzyme crystals (CLECs) are a versatile form of biocatalyst that can also be used for biosensor application. Laccase from Trametes versicolor (E.C.1.10.3.2) was crystallized, cross-linked and lyophilized with beta-cyclodextrin. The CLEC laccase was found to be highly active towards phenols like 2-amino phenol, guaiacol, catechol, pyrogallol, catechin and ABTS (non-phenolic). The CLEC laccase was embedded in 30% polyvinylpropylidone (PVP) gel and mounted into an electrode to make the sensor. The biosensor was used to detect the phenols in 50-1000 micromol concentration level. Phenols with lower molecular weight such as 2-amino phenol, catechol and pyrogallol gave a short response time where as the higher molecular weight substrates like catechin and ABTS had comparatively a long response time. The optimum pH of the analyte was 5.5-6.0 when catechol was used as substrate. The CLEC laccase retained good activity for over 3 months.

Prediction for the separation efficiency of a pair of enantiomers during chiral high-performance liquid chromatography using a quartz crystal microbalance

A simple and rapid screening method of the chiral stationary phase during high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) utilizing a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) has been developed for the chiral separation of a pair of enantiomers. The outline of the method is as follows: a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is constructed on the gold electrodes of the QCM sensor chips by utilizing the interaction between thiols and gold. The chiral selectors used as chiral stationary phases in the HPLC are then immobilized, and a pseudostationary phase is constructed on the electrodes. Subsequently, the sensors are equilibrated in the solutions, the targeted chiral samples are injected, and the frequency changes are observed. Four kinds of chiral molecules and three kinds of chiral stationary phases were examined in this study. When chiral separation is possible using the chiral stationary phase immobilized on the sensors, significant differences in the frequency changes are observed because the intensities based on interactions differ among the isomers. The developed method can predict not only the possibility for chiral separation but also the elution order from the chiral stationary phase column. Furthermore, the degree of the mutual separation of a pair of enantiomers seems to be roughly predictable from the difference in the frequency change (DeltaF) and first-order association rate constant (k(obs)). The method does not require several different kinds of chiral columns that are more expensive than achiral ones such as the octadecylsilica (ODS) column. The required amounts of the chiral stationary phases are extremely small, and the sensors with immobilized chiral selectors are reusable. In addition, the method requires only a few minutes to complete the analysis. Thus, considerable reductions in both cost and time are realized. By applying the developed method to many chiral molecules and chiral stationary phases, its superiority may be corroborated; thus, it is expected that the method can be effectively used for the selection of chiral stationary phases.