Wednesday, 14 June 2023

Cell Fundamental Unit of life

 

Chapter : 3 BIOSENSORS

 

INTRODUCTION

BIOSENSORS:      A biosensor is an analytical device consisting of an immobilized layer of biological component (e.g. nucleic acid, hormone, antibody, enzyme, whole cell, tissue) in the intimate contact with the transducer i.e. sensor.

Biosensors are analytical devices that convert a biological response into an electrical signal.

The word "biosensor" was coined by Cammann. According to IUPAC  commendations (1999), a biosensor is an independently integrated receptor transducer device, which is capable of providing selective quantitative or semi-quantitative analytical information using a biological recognition element.

The first true biosensor was developed by Leland C. Clark in 1956 for oxygen detection He is known as the father of biosensors' and his invention of the oxygen electrode bear his name "Clark electrode

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOSENSORS

1. Linearity: It is defined as the maximum sensor output signal that can be detected by a sensor. It should be high for a biosensor to detect substrate concentration

2. Sensitivity.: It is the magnitude of electrode response per unit substrate concentration

3. Selectivity: The electrode response in the presence of other interfering chemicals or foreign materials. It is the minimal chemical interference with the target analyte. It should be minimum for a biosensor

4. Stability: It is the maximum electrode response over a period of time.

5. Limit-of-detection: The lowest quantity of a substance that can be determined from the absence of that substance blank signal. It can be calculated from the mean of the blank and its standard deviation

 

Parts of biosensor:   Biosensors are functionally composed of three main components.

1. BIOLOGICAL ELEMENT:  Biological element is responsible for detecting the analyte (drug, glucose, urea, pesticide etc.) and generating a response signal. The biological recognition components are enzymes, microbial cells, plant or animal cells, tissues, immune binding or receptor proteins.

2. TRANSDUCER: A transducer is an element which convert one form of energy into another form. A transducer is a physical component which analyses the biological signals and converts into an electrical signal which is measurable.

The signal generated by the biological element is then transformed into a detectable response by the second component called as transducer. Transducer is the main part of biosensor which makes use of physical change accompanying the reaction.

 

3. DETECTOR The detector which amplifies and processes the signals which are displayed an electronic display system. The detection systems used in bio sensing are electrochemical detection, photometric detection, thermal and mass detection, fluorescence signal processing and instrumentation based detection system.

 

The various steps in signal processing of a biosensor is shown in Fig. 3.1.

It is important and beneficial to use immobilized biocatalyst as it provides reusability, long half-life and ensures same catalytic activity in a series of analyses. The desired biological material (enzyme) is immobilized by conventional methods such as adsorption, entrapment, microencapsulation, covalent or cross binding. This immobilized biological component is in intimate contact with the transducer.

The system is responsible for the detection of the analyte and subsequent response in same measurable parameters. The analyte binds to the biological component to form bound analyte which in turn produces the electronic response that can be measured. The analyte is converted to a product which may be associated with the release of heat, oxygen, electrons, hydrogen ions or the product of ammonium ions. The product passes through another membrane to the transducer. The transducer converts product into an electric signal which is amplified. Processor is used to process the signal by subtracting the base line signal which is taken by an electrode without a biocatalyst and converts the resultant signal to digital output.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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TYPES OF BIOSENSORS

A) Biosensors are classified as enzyme-based, tissue-based, immunosensors, DNA biosensors and thermal and piezoelectric biosensors.

 

1. Enzyme biosensors are prepared by immobilization methods such as ionic bonding, covalent bonding or van der Waals forces. The commonly used enzymes are peroxidases, aminoxidases, polyphenoloxidases, oxidoreductases etc. Bacterial biosensors directly utilize a chain of bacterial enzyme reactions to achieve detection of one or more species.

 

2. Organelle-based sensors are prepared by using membranes, chloroplasts, mitochondria, microsomes etc.

 

3. Immunosensors are prepared on the fact that antibodies have high affinity towards their respective antigens, i.e. antigenntibody specific reaction properties. Labelled antigens or antibodies may be used in biosensors based on enzyme linked immunoassary (ELISA) principles.

4. The DNA biosensors are based on the property that single-strand nucleic acid molecule is able to recognize and bind to its complementary strand in a sample.

         

B) Biosensors can be classified according to the mode of physicochemical transduction or the type of bio recognition element. Based on the transducer, biosensors can be classified as

1. Electrochemical biosensor  

2. Optical biosensor (measure the absorbed or emitted light)

3. Thermal biosensor 

4. Piezoelectric (detect stress) biosensors.

 

1. Electrochemical biosensors can be further classified as

a) Amperometric biosensors (measure the electrical current),

b) Potentiometric biosensors (measure electrical voltage)

c) Conductometric biosensors (measure electrical conductance).

a) Amperometric Biosensor

          These biosensors are based on the movement of electrons as a result of enzyme-catalysed redox reactions. The amperometric biosensors contain either enzyme-electrode or chemically modified electrodes. A redox reaction catalysed by enzymes is directly coupled to an electrode where enzyme is presented with the oxidizable substrate. The electrons are transferred from the substrate to the electrode via enzyme and redox mediator (Fig. 3.2). The magnitude of the current is proportional to the substrate concentration. The most common amperometric biosensor is glucose biosensor which is based on a Clark oxygen electrode. In this case, the platinum cathode is held next to an oxygen permeable membrane on which glucose oxidase enzyme is immobilized. This membrane is also permeable to substrate glucose

 

 

 

 

 

b) Potentiometric Biosensor

                   In potentiometric biosensor, changes in ionic concentrations are measured by use of ion-selective electrodes (pH electrode). These biosensors consist of a membrane containing immobilized enzyme and surrounding the probe from a pH meter. The potential difference obtained between the potentiometric electrode (Fig. 3.3) and the reference electrode can be measured. It is proportional to the concentration of the substrate. The major limitation of these biosensors are the sensitivity of enzymes to pH, ammonia, carbon dioxide or other analytes. Ion-selective field effect transistors (ISFET) can be used for miniaturization of potentiometric biosensors. The intramyocardial pH is monitored by an ISFET biosensor during human open-heart surgery.

 

c)  Conductimetric Biosensors

                   The changes in the ionic species is transferred or altered into electrical conductivity in conductimetric biosensors. Conductivity measurement is based on the biocatalytic reaction of the sample on an electrode. The conductimetric transducer consists of reference electrode and working electrode. Both electrodes are coated with a nata de coco membrane and enzyme is immobilized only on working electrode. The reaction produces ions which results in the change of conductivity. Urea biosensor utilizing immobilized urease is a example of conductimetric biosensors.

2. Thermometric or Calorimetric Biosensors

Many enzyme catalyzed reactions are exothermic (production of heat), which may be used as a basis for measuring the rate of reaction. These changes are determined by thermal biosensors or calorimetric biosensors. In this method, substrate enters into the enzyme packed bed reactor and then it converted to a product by generating heat. The difference in the temperature between the substrate and product is measured by thermistors (thermal biosensors) calorimetric microsensors have been used for detection of cholesterol in blood serum based on production of heat by enzymatic reaction.

3. Optical Biosensors :

                   Optical biosensors are the devices that utilize the principle of optical measurements i.e. fluorescence, absorbance, chemiluminescence, internal reflection spectroscopy; etc. These involve determining changes in light absorption between the reactants and products of a reaction or measuring the light output. Optical biosensors primarily involve enzyme and antibodies as the transducing elements. It allow a safe non-electrical remote sensing of materials and these biosensors usually do not require reference sensors. The most common application of this biosensor is estimation of blood glucose for monitoring of diabetes.

Fibre optic lactate biosensor is one of important example of optical biosensors. The principle of this biosensor is based on the measurement of changes in molecular oxygen concentration. This reaction is catalysed by the enzyme lactate monooxygenase,

                                                Lactate

          O2 + Lactate                                                        CO2 + Acetate + H2O

                                      monooxygenase

 

Oxygen has quenching (reducing) effect on the fluorescence and hence, the amount of fluorescence generated by the dyed film is dependent on the oxygen. Lactate present in the reaction mixture utilizes oxygen and proportionate decrease in the reducing effect of oxygen. This results, increase in the fluorescent output which can be measured. Optical fibre sensing devices are used for measuring pH, PCO, and po, in critical care and surgical monitoring.

4. Piezoelectric or Acoustic Biosensor

          Piezoelectric biosensors are based on the principle of sound vibrations (acoustics). Piezoelectric crystals with positive and negative changes vibrate with characteristics frequencies. The optimal resonant frequency for acoustic wave transmission is dependent on the physical dimensions and properties of the piezoelectric crystals. Adsorption of molecules on the crystal surface alters the resonance frequencies which can be measured by electronic devices. A piezoelectric biosensor has been developed for organophosphorus insecticide by incorporating acetylcholine esterase, for formaldehyde by incorporating formaldehyde dehydrogenase and for cocaine in gas phase by attaching cocaine antibodies to the surface of piezoelectric crystal.

5. Whole Cell Biosensor

          In the whole cell biosensor or microbial biosensor, immobilized whole cell of microorganisms or their organelles are used. These biosensors may employ live or dead microbial cells. The microbial cells are easily available with less cost and they are less sensitive to variations in pH and temperature compared to isolated enzymes. The specificity and sensitivity of whole cell biosensors may be less compared to that of enzymes.

6.Blood glucose Biosensors are used widely throughout the world for diabetic patients. It has a single-use disposable electrode with glucose oxide and derivatives of a mediator (Ferrocene) and the shape of the blood glucose Biosensor looks like a watch pen. With the help of hydrophilic mesh, electrodes are converted. Blood glucose Biosensor is a good example of an Amperometric Biosensor.

7.Potenciometric biosensor:  In this type of Biosensors changes the concentration of ionic is determined by the ion-selective electrodes in this pH electrodes are used most commonly. Hence a large amount of enzymatic reactions is involved in the release of

hydrogen ions. Ammonia-selective and Carbondioxide selective electrodes are

some other important electrodes.

      The Potentiometric electrode and the reference electrode can be measured with the help of potential difference and it is directly proportional to the substrate concentration. The Potentiometric Biosensors is the sensitivity of enzymes to ionic concentration like H+ and  NH4+  The ion-selective field-effect transistors are

lower-price devices. It can be used in the miniaturization of Potentiometric Biosensors. An  example of the ISFET Biosensor is to monitor intra-myocardial for open-heart surgery.

8. The immune Biosensors: It work on the principle of immunological specificity

and mostly coupled with measurement on the Potentiometric Biosensors.

9.Fiber Optic Lactate Biosensor:  The working of the fiber optic lactate Biosensor is based on the measurement of change in oxygen concentration, molecular by identifying the effects of oxygen in the fluorescent dye.

 

APPLICATIONS OF BIOSENSORS

          Biosensors are widely applied in many fields such as pharmaceutical industries, medicine, food industry, pollution control, military etc. They are very popular in many areas due to the small size, easy handling, low cost, and better stability and sensitivity. Pharmaceutical and biomedical applications:

1. Biosensors are mainly used for the quantitative estimation of biologically important   substances in body fluids e.g. glucose, cholesterol, urea etc.

2. Glucose biosensors are used for diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.

3. Optical biosensors can be used for measurement of patient's blood glucose level by      combining bacterial magnitude with a chromophoric system.

4. Blood gas monitoring for pH, PCO, and pO2 is carried out by optical biosensors           during critical care and surgical monitoring of patients.

5. Mitomycin, an aflatoxin, causes cancer in inborne infants. Mutagenicity of such           chemicals can be detected by using biosensors.

6. Several toxic compounds produced in the body can also be detected by biosensors.

7. Biosensors are being used in the medical field to diagnose infectious disease mainly        urinary tract infections.

8. A novel biosensor (hafnium oxide, HfO;) has been used for early stage detection of           human interleukin-10. Interaction between recombinant human IL-10 with           corresponding monoclonal antibody is studied for early detection of cytokine.

9. Fluroescent biosensors can probe ions, metabolites, and protein biomarkers with           great sensitivity. They are used in protein localization, probing gene expression           and conformation in fields such as signal transduction, transcription and            apoptosis.

10. Fluorescent biosensors can be used for detection of cancer, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular and neuro-degenerative and viral infections.

11. Fluorescent biosensors are also used in drug discovery for the identification of the  high thorough put and high content screening approaches. These are considered tools for preclinical evaluation and clinical validation of active drug molecules.

 

12. The biosensors are effectively used for early detection of biomarkers in molecular and clinical diagnostics, for monitoring disease status and response to treatments.

 

13.Potentiometric biosensors are developed with lon-Selective Field Effect Transisto (ISFETS) for different applications such as chiral amine salt detection, enzyme inhibitors acetyl choline esterase, detection of pharmaceutical preparations such as procaine, tetracaine and lidocaine, and detection of anionic surfactants like sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide.

 

14.Biosensors can be used in fermentation industry for monitoring fermentation products, biomass, enzymes and estimation of various ions Biosensors are commonly used to control the fermentation process and produce reproducible results.

 

15. In fermentation process, glucose biosensors are used to monitor the process to saccharification to produce glucose.

 

16. Glutamate biosensors are used to conduct experimentation on ion exchange retrieval of an isoelectric liquor supernatant of glutamate.

 

Non-medical applications:

Biosensors are used in many non-medical fields such as food industry, environmental monitoring, defense, agriculture and related industries.

Food industry:

1. Biosensors are commonly used in food industry to detect the odour and freshness           of food. Freshness of stored fish can be detected by ATPase. ATP is not found in      spoiled fish and this can be detected by using ATPase.

2. Biosensors are used for the detection of pathogens in food. E. coli contaminated in           food or vegetables can be measured by detecting variation in pH caused by           ammonia using potentiometric alternating bio sensing systems,

3. Enzymatic biosensors are used in the dairy industry.

4. The automated flow-based biosensor is used to quantify the three           organophosphate pesticides in milk.

5. Biosensors are also used to defect artificial sweeteners in food additives.

6. Food safety is one of most important parameters and quality of food refers to the           appearance, taste, smell, freshness, flavour, nutritional value and chemicals.           Nanotechnology and electromechanical systems are striding in to make sensing           technology imminent for use in ensuring food quality and safety.

7. Biosensorsare used to detect pesticides organophosphates and carbamic           insecticide

8. Biosensors also detect pesticides in wine and orange juice.

 

Environmental Monitoring:

          Biosensors are very helpful in environmental monitoring and pollution control. They are useful for monitoring pollutants, chemical residues, pesticides, toxins or microbes in marine water, rivers and reservoirs. The concentration of pesticides and the biological oxygen demand (BOD) can be measured by biosensors. Biosensors coupled with oxygen electrode and immobilized Trichosporon cutaneum is used for measuring BOD. The whole cell biosensor in conjugation with oxygen electrode and immobilized Salmonella typhimurium and Bacillus subtilis can be used to measure mutagenicity or carcinogenecity of several chemical compounds.

 

Defense:

Biosensors are used by the infantry to detect and identify the toxic gases and other chemical agents used during war.

Cell Fundamental Unit of life