Diffusion-limited amperometric devices

Optodes provided with non-fluorescent esters of fluorophores have been used for the determination of external enzyme activities. The fluorophores are liberated by the enzymes and then seen by the optical Ober [214], As ecamples of p(02)-modulated optical biosensors, a glucose probe [213] and an ethanol probe [216] can be mentioned sensors based on glucose, alcohol, and other oxidases were reviewed by Opitz and Lttbbers [217]. The advantages of these 02-dependent optical biosensors are that, unlike corresponding amperometric sensors, they do not consume O2 and that they are strictly diffusion limited in their response. Fiber-optical devices are also available for the determination of substrates of dehydrogenases the NADH fluorescence produced by the immobilized enzyme is measured as a function of time [218, 219]. 

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