Biocatalytic sensors

Enzyme electrodes for other substrates of analytical significance have been developed. Representative examples are listed in Table 6-1. Further advances in enzyme technology, and particularly the isolation of new and more stable enzymes, should enhance the development of new biocatalytic sensors. New opportunities (particularly assays of new environments or monitoring of hydrophobic analytes) derive from the finding that enzymes can maintain then biocatalytic activity in organic solvents (31,32). 

Biosensors may be classified into two categories biocatalytic biosensors and bioaffinity biosensors. Biocatalytic sensors contain a biocatalyst such as an enzyme to recognize the analytic selectively. Bioaflinity biosensors, on the other hand, may involve antibody, binding protein or receptor protein, which form stable complexes with the corresponding ligand. An immunosensor in which antibody is used as the receptor may represent a bioaflinity biosensor. 

Amperometric sensors — A class of electrochemical sensors based on amperometry. A - diffusion-limited current is measured which is proportional to the concentration of an electrochemically active analyte. Preferred technique for - biosensors with or without immobilized enzymes (biocatalytic sensors). The diffusion layer thickness must be kept constant, either by continuous stirring or by means of an external diffusion barrier. Alternatively, micro electrodes can be... 

Immunosensors are bioaffinity sensors, i.e. antigen and antibody form a stable complex, but there is no decomposition of reactants or formation of further reaction products. Consequently, analytical information in amperometric immunosensors cannot be obtained directly by evaluation of an electrolysis current reflecting the reaction rate, as in biocatalytical sensors. The common way to obtain amperometric signals is chemical modification (labeling) of the... 

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