An enzyme electrode for measurement of penicillin in fermentation broth: A step toward the application of enzyme electrodes in fermentation control

A penicillin sensitive enzyme electrode has been used to analyze the concentration of benzylpenicillin in fermentation broth. The electrode response time was in the region of 2 min and the response to penicillin concentration was linear within the range of 1 to 10mM. The buffering capacity of the medium influenced the sensitivity of the electrode. At low buffer capacity the sensitivity of the enzyme electrode to penicillin was very high, but then the sensitivity to small changes in buffer capacity was relatively large. At high buffer capacity the sensitivity to penicillin was reduced and the electrode became less dependent on changes to buffer capacity. Constant calibration curves were repeatedly obtained with the electrode when used for 2 hr daily in a fermentation medium over a six day period. Three methods devised to calibrate the electrode for use in fermentation media were investigated. Methods one and two, based on the relationship between electrode sensitivity and buffer capacity in phosphate buffer and in sterile media, gave rather high penicillin concentration values. The third method based on an internal standard was the most satisfactory.     

Microbial sensor for penicillins using a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli.

E. coli harboring the multicopy plasmid pBR327, which codes for beta-lactamase synthesis, was immobilized on acetylcellulose membranes. These were placed in the vicinity of a flat pH electrode, thus constituting a penicillin biosensor based on the detection of changes in pH using a reference pH electrode. A response time of 8 min was obtained with at least 2 mg of cells cm-2 of membrane. A linear detection range between 5 and 30 mM of penicillin was achieved. Buffering capacity decreased the sensitivity, but to a lower extent as when compared with probes using purified enzyme. The sensor was completely stable for at least 13 days and proved to be useful for penicillin estimation in complex media such as fermentation broths and milk.     

Thin-film antimony-antimony-oxide enzyme electrode for penicillin determination

A potentiometric penicillinase electrode is reported in which the base pH transducer is a thin-film anti-mony-antimony-oxide electrode deposited by vacuum evaporation. Several enzyme immobilization procedures have been examined and a crosslinked protein film found to be the most appropriate to this type of sensor. The use of an adjacent antimony-antimony-oxide track as a pseudoreference electrode was successfully demonstrated. The overall response was shown to be independent of the stirring rate above 100 rpm, but the kinetics of the response were found to depend markedly on the stirring rate. The intrinsic linear response range was 3 x 10(-4)Mto 7 x 10(-3)M penicillin G. Linearizing transforms that extend the useful range were examined.     

A novel glucose biosensor using bi-enzyme incorporated with peptide nanotubes

A novel amperometric glucose biosensor was developed using the bio-inspired peptide nanotube (PNT) as an encapsulation template for enzymes. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was encapsulated by the PNT and glucose oxidase (GO(x)) was co-immobilized with the PNT on a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-modified electrode. A binary SAM of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) and 1-tetradecanethiol (TDT) was formed on the surface of the electrode to immobilize the PNT and GO(x). The resulting electrode appeared to provide the enzymes with a biocompatible nanoenvironment as it sustained the enhanced enzyme activity for an extended time and promoted possible direct electron transfer through the PNT to the electrode. Performance of the biosensor was evaluated in terms of its detection limit, sensitivity, pH, response time, selectivity, reproducibility, and stability in a lab setting. In addition the sensor was tested for real samples. The composite of AuNP-SAM-PNT/HRP-GO(x) to fabricate a sensor electrode in this study exhibited a linear response with glucose in the concentration range of 0.5-2.4mM with a R(2)-value of 0.994. A maximum sensitivity of 0.3mAM(-1)and reproducibility (RSD) of 1.95% were demonstrated. The PNT-encapsulated enzyme showed its retention of >85% of the initial current response after one month of storage.     

Extended-gate FET-based enzyme sensor with ferrocenyl-alkanethiol modified gold sensing electrode

We developed a field-effect transistor (FET)-based enzyme sensor that detects an enzyme-catalyzed redox-reaction event as an interfacial potential change on an 11-ferrocenyl-1-undecanethiol (11-FUT) modified gold electrode. While the sensitivity of ion-sensitive FET (ISFET)-based enzyme sensors that detect an enzyme-catalyzed reaction as a local pH change are strongly affected by the buffer conditions such as pH and buffer capacity, the sensitivity of the proposed FET-based enzyme sensor is not affected by them in principle. The FET-based enzyme sensor consists of a detection part, which is an extended-gate FET sensor with an 11-FUT immobilized gold electrode, and an enzyme reaction part. The FET sensor detected the redox reaction of hexacyanoferrate ions, which are standard redox reagents of an enzymatic assay in blood tests, as a change in the interfacial potential of the 11-FUT modified gold electrode in accordance with the Nernstian response at a slope of 59 mV/decade at 25 degrees C. Also, the FET sensor had a dynamic range of more than five orders and showed no sensitivity to pH. A FET-based enzyme sensor for measuring cholesterol level was constructed by adding an enzyme reaction part, which contained cholesterol dehydrogenase and hexacyanoferrate (II)/(III) ions, on the 11-FUT modified gold electrode. Since the sensitivity of the FET sensor based on potentiometric detection was independent of the sample volume, the sample volume was easily reduced to 2.5 microL while maintaining the sensitivity. The FET-based enzyme sensor successfully detected a serum cholesterol level from 33 to 233 mg/dL at the Nernstian slope of 57 mV/decade.     

A new amperometric enzyme electrode for alcohol determination

A new enzyme electrode for the determination of alcohols was developed by immobilizing alcohol oxidase in polvinylferrocenium matrix coated on a Pt electrode surface. The amperometric response due to the electrooxidation of enzymatically generated H(2)O(2) was measured at a constant potential of +0.70 V versus SCE. The effects of substrate, buffer and enzyme concentrations, pH and temperature on the response of the electrode were investigated. The optimum pH was found to be pH 8.0 at 30 degrees C. The steady-state current of this enzyme electrode was reproducible within +/-5.0% of the relative error. The sensitivity of the enzyme electrode decreased in the following order: methanol>ethanol>n-butanol>benzyl alcohol. The linear response was observed up to 3.7 mM for methanol, 3.0 mM for ethanol, 6.2 mM for n-butanol, and 5.2 mM for benzyl alcohol. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(Mapp)) value and the activation energy, E(a), of this immobilized enzyme system were found to be 5.78 mM and 38.07 kJ/mol for methanol, respectively.     

Implementation of a thermal biosensor in a process environment: on-line monitoring of penicillin V in production-scale fermentations.

The production of penicillin V was monitored in 0.5 m3 and 160 m3 bioreactors. The thermal biosensor was an enzyme thermistor modified for split-flow analysis. The heat signal generated in the enzyme column was corrected for any nonspecific heat with the use of an identical but inactive reference column. The on-line monitoring was performed in the fermentation pilot plant and in a fermentation plant of Novo Nordisk A/S. Immobilized beta-lactamase was used to monitor three consecutive 0.5 m3 penicillin fermentations. Broth samples were continuously filtered through a tangential flow filtration unit in a sterile external loop. The on-line penicillin V values were 10% higher than those obtained by off-line HPLC analysis. Alternatively a polypropylene filtration probe was inserted into a 160 m3 bioreactor and samples were withdrawn at 0.5 ml/min. The same experiments were repeated with purified and immobilized penicillin V acylase. The on-line penicillin V values obtained with this enzyme correlated very well with those from HPLC analysis. The on-line monitoring was controlled and analysed by a software program written in Labtech Notebook.     

D-alanyl-D-alanine carboxypeptidase in the bacterial form and L-form of Proteus mirabilis.

Membranes of the bacterial form and the stable and unstable L-forms of Proteus mirabilis contain LD and DD-carboxypeptidase. The DD-carboxypeptidase is inhibited non-competitively by penicillin G. The enzyme of the bacterial form is highly penicillin-sensitive (Ki - 4 X 10(-9) M penicillin G). Inhibition is only partly reversible by treatment with penicillinase or by dialysis against buffer. In contrast, the DD-carboxypeptidase of the unstable L-form, grown in the presence of penicillin, is 175-fold less penicillin-sensitive (Ki = 7 X 10(7) M penicillin G). Inhibition is completely reversed by penicillinase or dialysis. After inhibition by penicillin and subsequent reactivation the penicillin sensitivity of the bacterial DD-carboxtpeptidase is similar to the sensitivity of the enzyme of the unstable L-form. The hypothesis is proposed that P. mirabilis contains two DD-carboxypeptidases of different penicillin sensitivity and with different mechanisms of penicillin binding. Peptidoglycan synthesis in the cell walls of the unstable L-form is probably carried out with the help of only one DD-carboxypeptidase, viz. the completely reactivatable enzyme with the lower penicillin sensitivity.     

The role of polypyrrole as charge transfer mediator and immobilization matrix for d-fructose dehydrogenase in a fructose sensor

A fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) modified electrode is produced by the electroadsorption of a layer of FDH on a platinum electrode followed by the electropolymerization of a polypyrrole (PPy) film around and over the enzyme. This immobilizes and stabilizes the enzyme as well as providing an electron transfer pathway to the electrode. The amperometric response to fructose and the enzymatic activity are measured as a function of PPy film thickness. The electrode is shown to have a maximum response at a PPy thickness of approximately the thickness of the enzyme layer. A measure of the electrode efficiency is also obtained, this is the amperometric response to fructose as a percentage of that expected on the basis of the enzyme activity. The functioning of the electrode is also dependent on the counter-ion used for PPy polymerization. This is shown to be mainly related to the nucleation and growth of the PPy film in the interfacial region.     

Using silver nanoparticle to enhance current response of biosensor

In this paper, we present a simple procedure to increase the sensitivity of a glucose biosensor. The feasibility of an amperometric glucose biosensor based on immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) in silver (Ag) sol was investigated for the first time. GOx was simply mixed with Ag nanoparticles and cross-linked with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) medium by glutaraldehyde. Then a platinum electrode was coated with the mixed solution. The effects of the amount of the Ag particles used, with respect to the current response for enzyme electrodes, were studied. A set of experimental results indicate that the current response for the enzyme electrode containing hydrophobic Ag sol increased from 0.531 to 31.17 microA in the solution of 10 mmol/L beta-D glucose. The time reaching the steady-state current response reduced from 60 to 20s, three times less than those without Ag particles involved.     

Oxygen-stabilized enzyme electrode for d-glucose analysis in fermentation broths

A new principle for the construction of oxygen-dependent enzyme electrodes is presented. The enzyme electrode is based on a galvanic oxygen electrode which is furnished with an electrolysis anode covered by immobilized enzyme and placed close to the oxygen-sensing surface. An ordinary oxygen electrode is used as a reference electrode. The enzymatic consumption of oxygen in the enzyme electrode generates a potential difference between the electrodes which is utilized to control electrolytic generation of oxygen from water in such a way that zero differential potential is maintained. Thus, the enzyme electrode operates under ambient oxygen tension and does not suffer from oxygen limitation. The electrolytic current in this system gives a measure of the concentration of substrate surrounding the enzyme electrode. The electrode has been applied for continuous d-glucose analysis in situ during batch cultures of Candida utilis.     

Model-based optimization of a conductive matrix enzyme electrode

A mathematical model has been developed to describe the mechanism for internal mass transfer and enzyme reaction kinetics of an amperometric conductive matrix enzyme electrode. The model is simplified and solved analytically to arrive at a representation for the response slope in the linear range as well as for the response time. This is the first time that the response time of an enzyme electrode is described by a mathematical model. Simulations give information on how the design parameters influence the performance of the electrode for a glucose oxidase catalyzed sensing reaction process. Based on this information, several designs were constructed and tested showing suitable agreement with theoretical predictions. Finally, an optimized electrode was designed and validated.     

A new approach to the construction of potentiometric immunosensors.

An electrochemical immunosensor based on a new detection principle was developed. Laccase, which is able to catalyse the electroreduction of oxygen via the direct (mediatorless) mechanism was used as an enzyme label. The new detection method does not require the presence of an electrochemically active mediator, and the reaction substrates are atmospheric oxygen and electrons, the latter being taken by the active site of the enzyme label directly from the electrode. The formation of the complex between laccase-labelled antibody and antigen on the electrode surface resulted in a considerable (more than 300 mV) shift of the electrode potential. The rate of the increase of the electrode potential was inversely proportional to the concentration of the free antigen in the sample. The non-specific adsorption of conjugate and other proteins on the electrode could be eliminated by using a polyethylenimine-based polymer on the electrode surface. Insulin was used as a model analyte. The sensitivity limit for this antigen was approximately 3 micrograms ml-1.     

Chronocoulometric techniques in the study of computerized enzyme electrode systems

The electrochemical transient of a two-substrate enzyme electrode was studied theoretically and experimentally. Operation of such electrodes in the chronocoulometric mode leads to increased electrode sensitivity and makes possible the retrieval of useful information on transport and kinetics parameters. Digital simulation was used to solve the kinetics and transport equations and to produce the theoretical chronocoulometric response. A glucose electrode based on glucose oxidase crosslinked to different matrices was tested with air oxygen and p-benzoquinone as the cosubstrate. A computerized electrochemical system was employed for electrode potential control and data acquistion and analysis.     

Flow injection analysis of blood L-lactate by using a Prussian Blue-based biosensor as amperometric detector

An amperometric l-lactate biosensor was fabricated by confining lactate oxidase in a Prussian Blue-modified electrode with a Nafion membrane. The detector was assembled in a flow injection apparatus and operated at -0.1 V. Conditions for optimal electrode response were determined by investigating the influence of the amount of immobilized enzyme, the sample volume, and the flow rate. At the established operational conditions, the biosensor exhibited negligible response from interfering species usually present in biological fluids. The stability of the biosensor was also investigated, and its sensitivity was maintained unchanged at certain experimental conditions. l-Lactate was determined in blood samples, and the influence of physical exercise on the results was clearly evidenced, demonstrating that the proposed amperometric detector is suitable for monitoring changes in the l-lactate levels in biological fluids.     

Cholesterol amperometric biosensor based on cytochrome P450scc

A screen-printed enzyme electrode based on flavocytochrome P450scc (RfP450scc) for amperometric determination of cholesterol has been developed. A one-step method for RfP450scc immobilization in the presence of glutaraldehyde or by entrapment of enzyme within a hydrogel of agarose is discussed. The sensitivity of the biosensor based on immobilization procedures of flavocytochrome P450scc by glutaric aldehyde is 13.8 nA microM(-1) and the detection limit is 300 microM with a coefficient of linearity 0.98 for cholesterol in the presence of sodium cholate as detergent. The detection limits and the sensitivity of the agarose-based electrode are 155 microM and 6.9 nA microM(-1) with a linearity coefficient of 0.99. For both types of electrodes, the amperometric response to cholesterol in the presence of detergent was rather quick (1.5-2 min).     

Urate oxidase electrode based on dissolved oxygen probe for urine uric acid determination

A biosensor for the specific determination of uric acid in urine was developed using urate oxidase (EC 1.7.3.3) in combination with a dissolved oxygen probe. Urate oxidase was immobilized with gelatin by means of glutaraldehyde and fixed on a pretreated teflon membrane to serve as enzyme electrode. The electrode response was maximum when 50 mM glycine buffer was used at pH 9.2 and 35 degrees C. The enzyme electrode response depends linearly on uric acid concentration between 5-40 microM with a response time of 5 min. The enzyme electrode is stable for more than 2 weeks and during this period over 35 assays were performed.     

Magnetic enzyme membranes as active elements of electrochemical sensors: specific amino acid enzyme elctrodes.

The basic principle of the described magnetic enzyme electrodes is a kinetic accumulation of CO2 at the active layer electrode interface. The local pCO2 level is linked to three simultaneous phenomena: substrate diffusion in, enzyme reaction CO2 diffusion out. After a transient state there is a stationary state between the quantity of CO2 produced by the enzyme reaction and the CO2 diffusing from the active membrane to the bulk solution. Continuous determination of free amino acids in biological media is useful in biological processing, fermentation, medicine, pharmaceutical industries and biological research. No methods are presently available for any specific continuous measurement of lysine which is of nutritional importance in protein industrial syntheses; of phenylalanine and tyrosine which have to be monitored in several inborn diseases (phenylketonuria being the most important of them); of arginine and histidine which play a still imperfectly understood part in neurochemistry. The use of decarboxylase bearing membranes as sensors in such measurements could offer several novel advantages: (a) a simple device made of a currently manufactured electrode slightly modified by the use of an enzyme membrane; (b) The absence of any enzymic consumption due to the immobilization and the negligible consumption of substrate during the measurements; (c) The sensitivity which can be sharpened by a systematic study of the membrane parameters; (d) the continuous response of the electrode as long as it is in contact with the substrate solution; (e) the further feasibility as a miniature sensor. The magnetic device introduced allows obviously a convenient use of the enzyme electrode, the active part can be removed and replaced without disturbance for the pCO2 electrode itself. The enzyme electrodes are not only useful at the applied point of view but also at the fundamental point of view by allowing a direct measurement of an intra membrane concentration. The influence of simple structures on enzyme kinetics was studied with enzyme electrodes by our group, in the case of memory and oscillations obtained with enzyme systems.     

A novel biosensor based on l-homocysteine desulfhydrase enzyme immobilized in eggshell membrane

A novel biosensor for homocysteine determination has been developed. The biosensor was fabricated with l-homocysteine desulfhydrase immobilized on the ammonium selective electrode by means of eggshell membrane. The measurement principle is based on determination of ammonia due to the enzymatic reaction in the medium by ammonium selective electrode. The effects of enzyme loading, glutaraldehyde concentration, pH, buffer concentration, temperature, dithiotreitol (DTT) concentration and ionic strength adjustment buffer (ISA) on the biosensor response were investigated in detail. The linear detection range and limit of detection (LOD) for homocysteine were found to be 0.15–1.8 mM and 55 μM, respectively. Finally, the homocysteine biosensor has been applied to plasma samples for determination of total homocysteine contents.     

Characterisation of capacitive field-effect sensors with a nanocrystalline-diamond film as transducer material for multi-parameter sensing

The feasibility of a capacitive field-effect EDIS (electrolyte-diamond-insulator-semiconductor) platform for multi-parameter sensing is demonstrated by realising EDIS sensors with an O-terminated nanocrystalline-diamond (NCD) film as transducer material for the detection of pH and penicillin concentration as well as for the label-free electrical monitoring of adsorption and binding of charged macromolecules, like polyelectrolytes. The NCD films were grown on p-Si-SiO(2) substrates by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. To obtain O-terminated surfaces, the NCD films were treated in an oxidising medium. The NCD-based field-effect sensors have been characterised by means of constant-capacitance method. The average pH sensitivity of the O-terminated NCD film was 40 mV/pH. A low detection limit of 5 microM and a high penicillin G sensitivity of 65-70 mV/decade has been obtained for an EDIS penicillin biosensor with the adsorptively immobilised enzyme penicillinase. Alternating potential changes, having tendency to decrease with increasing the number of adsorbed polyelectrolyte layers, have been observed after the layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolyte multilayers, using positively charged PAH (poly (allylamine hydrochloride)) and a negatively charged PSS (poly (sodium 4-styrene sulfonate)) as a model system. The response mechanism of the developed EDIS sensors is discussed.