Optical biosensor for urea with improved response time

An optical biosensor for urea measurements was developed. The operation of the sensor is based on the well-known urease enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of urea. The ammonium ions liberated in the reaction are detected with an ion selective optode membrane containing nonactin as ion selective ionophore and ETH 5294 chromoionophore in a thin (1 microm) plasticized poly(vinylchloride) film. The basic sensing element was home made of a microscope glass slide, a HeNe laser light source, photodiode light detector and light in coupling, de-coupling elements. The transducer membrane and the enzyme containing reaction layer were sandwich-cast with spin coating onto the surface of the sensing slide. The attenuation of the laser light propagating inside the glass wave-guide was used as signal for urea measurements. With this arrangement membranes provided good sensitivity (0.05 absorption unit when going from 0.1 to 1 mM urea) and short (16-20 s) response time. Taking advantage on the improved response time, flow injection urea measurements were made in the 0.01-2 mM concentration range. Thirty sample/hour analysis-rate, good peak-to-peak reproducibility (RSD=0.02) and recovery (95-104%) was achieved with buffer diluted urea solutions. Applications for the analysis of real samples are planned to do in the future.