Biosensors

A biosensor is universally defined as “a self-contained analytical

device that combines a biological component with a physicochemical
device for the detection of an analyte of biological importance”.
It consists of a
1.biological recognition element (biological component) which is able
to specifically interact with a target molecule
2.transducer able to convert this interaction into a measurable
signal.
3.Amplifier
4.Detector
5.Microprocessor
6.Quantitative read out
 What is
biosensor?
Chemical Sensors:
“A chemical sensor is a device that transforms chemcial
information, ranging from the concentration of a specific
sample component to total composition analysis, into an
analytically useful signal” – IUPAC

Biosensors: are analytical tools for the analysis of bio-

material samples to gain an understanding of their bio-
composition, structure and function by converting a
biological response into an electrical signal. The analytical
devices composed of a biological recognition element
directly interfaced to a signal transducer which together
relate the concentration of an analyte (or group of related
analytes) to a measurable response.
 Biosensor Components

Schematic diagram showing the main components of a biosensor.

The bio-reaction (a) converts the substrate to product. This
reaction is determined by the transducer (b) which converts it to
an electrical signal. The output from the transducer is amplified
(c), processed
(d) and displayed (e).
(http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/biology/enztech/biosensors.html)
 Types of Biosensors
Biosensors are normally classified according to the
transduction method they use. In biosensors, the
transducer converts a wide array of chemical, physical or
biological reactions into an electrical signal
• Calorimetric biosensor: in which the signal is either the
heat released or heat absorbed during reaction.
• Potentiometric biosensor: in which the signal is the
electrical potential produced.
• Amperometric biosensor: in which the signal is the
movement of electrons due to redox reaction.
• Optical Biosensor: in which the signal is ether the light
emitted or the light absorbed.
• Acoustic biosensor: in which the signal is the change in
mass of the biological component.
Selective Elements and Transducers

(Current, potential,
Resistance,
impedance)

(florescence,
light scattering,
etc.),

(Thermal,
temperature)
(Mass Sensitive)
Defining events in the history of biosensor development
First report on the immobilisation of
1916 proteins: adsorption of invertase on
activated charcoal
1922 First glass pH electrode
1956 Invention of the oxygen electrode (Clark)
1962 First description of a biosensor: an
amperometric enzyme electrode for
glucose (Clark)
1969 First potentiometric biosensor: urease
immobilised on an ammonia electrode to
detect urea
1970 Invention of the Ion-Selective Field-Effect
Transistor (ISFET) (Bergveld)
1972/5 First commercial biosensor: Yellow
Springs Instruments glucose biosensor

1975 First microbe-based biosensor

First immunosensor: ovalbumin on a
platinum wire
Invention of the pO2 / pCO2 optode
1976 First bedside artificial pancreas (Miles)
 Biosensor History (cont.)
1980 First fibre optic pH sensor for in vivo blood gases
(Peterson)
1982 First fibre optic-based biosensor for glucose
1983 First surface plasmon resonance (SPR) immunosensor
1984 First mediated amperometric biosensor: ferrocene
used with glucose oxidase for the detection of
glucose
1987 Launch of the MediSense ExacTech™ blood glucose
biosensor
1990 Launch of the Pharmacia BIACore SPR-based
biosensor system
1992 i-STAT launches hand-held blood analyser
1996 Glucocard launched
1996 Abbott acquires MediSense for $867 million
1998 Launch of LifeScan FastTake blood glucose biosensor
1998 Merger of Roche and Boehringer Mannheim to form
Roche Diagnostics
2001 LifeScan purchases Inverness Medical's glucose
testing business for $1.3billion

BioNMES, Quantum dots, Nanoparticles,

1999-current Nanocantilever, Nanowire and Nanotube
Type of Biosensors (by analytes)
Types of Biosensor (by detection mode)
 Typical Sensing Techniques
• for Biosensors

• Fluorescence
• DNA Microarray
• SPR Surface plasmon resonance
• Impedance spectroscopy
• SPM (Scanning probe microscopy, AFM, STM)
• QCM (Quartz crystal microbalance)
• SERS (Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy)
• Electrochemical
 Application of Biosensor
 Applications
 • Study of biomolecules and how they interact with
 one another
 - E.g. Biospecific interaction analysis (BIA)
 • Drug Development
 • In- home medical diagnosis
 • Environmental field monitoring
 • Scientific crime detection
 • Quality control in small food factory
 • Food Analysis
Biosensor Market
 Biomedical Diagnostics
 Doctors increasingly rely on testing
 Needs: rapid, cheap, and “low tech”
 Done by technicians or patients
 Some needs for in-vivo operation, with feedback
Glucose-based on glucose oxidase Cholesterol - based on
cholesterol oxidase
Antigen-antibody sensors - toxic substances, pathogenic
bacteria Small molecules and ions in living things: H+, K+,
Na+, NO, CO2, H2O2 DNA hybridization, sequencing, mutants
and damage
 Commercial Glucose Sensors

 Biggest biosensor success story!

 Diabetic patients monitor blood glucose at
home
 First made by Clark in 1962, now 5 or more
commercial test systems
 Rapid analysis from single drop of blood
 Enzyme-electrochemical device on a slide
 Basic Characteristics of a Biosensor

1.LINEARITY: Maximum linear value of the sensor

calibration curve. Linearity of the sensor must be high
for the detection of high substrate concentration.

2.SENSITIVITY: The value of the electrode response

per substrate concentration.

3.SELECTIVITY: Interference of chemicals must be

minimised for obtaining the correct result.

4.RESPONSE TIME: The necessary time for having

95% of the response.
 Electrochemical Glucose
Biosenso
r

GOx: Glucose
GO O2 Oxidase
x Glucose
Electrod H2O 2
e
Gluconic Acid
GOx
Glucose + O2 Gluconic
Acid + H2O2
Pt H2O2 2H+ +O2 +2
0.6 V vs. SHEe-

The first and the most widespreadly used commercial biosensor:

the blood glucose biosensor – developed by Leland C. Clark in
1962
Principle of a Biosensor:
The desired biological material (usually a specific enzyme) is immobilized
by conventional methods (physical or membrane entrapment, non- covalent
or covalent binding).
This immobilized biological material is in intimate contact with the
transducer.
The analyte binds to the biological material to form a bound analyte which
in turn produces the electronic response that can be measured.

In some instances, the analyte is

converted to a product which may be
associated with the release of heat,
gas (oxygen), electrons or hydrogen
ions.
The transducer can convert the
product linked changes into electrical
signals which can be amplified and
measured.
• Electrochemical Biosensors:
• Electrochemical biosensors are simple devices based on the
measurements of electric current, ionic or conductance
changes carried out by bio electrodes.
• Amperometric Biosensors:
• These biosensors are based on the movement of electrons
(i.e. determination of electric current) as a result of enzyme-
catalysed redox reactions. Normally, a constant voltage
passes between the electrodes which can be determined. In
an enzymatic reaction that occurs, the substrate or product
can transfer an electron with the electrode surface to be
oxidised or reduced

http://www.biologydiscussion.com/enzymes/biosensors/applications-of-biosensors/10206
• Electrochemical Biosensor
• Generally, the electrochemical biosensor is based on the
reaction of enzymatic catalysis that consumes or generates
electrons. Such types of enzymes are named as Redox
Enzymes. The substrate of this biosensor generally includes
three electrodes such as a counter, reference, and working
type.
Principle of Electrochemical Biosensors

substrat produc
e t

Enzyme

electrode

Apply Measure current prop.

voltage to concentration of
substrate
The object analyte is engaged in the response that happens on the
surface of an active electrode, and this reaction may source also
electron-transfer across the dual layer potential. The current can be
calculated at a set potential.
Electrochemical biosensors are classified into four types
Amperometric Biosensors
Potentiometric Biosensors
Impedimetric Biosensors
Voltammetric Biosensors
 Potentiometric Biosensors
• This type of biosensor provides a logarithmic reply by means of a high
energetic range. These biosensors are frequently complete by monitor
producing the electrode prototypes lying on a synthetic substrate,
covered by a performing polymer with some enzyme is connected.
•
 Amperometric Biosensor
• An amperometric biosensor is a self-contained incorporated
device based on the amount of the current ensuing from the
oxidation offering exact quantitative analytical information.
• Generally, these Biosensors have reaction times, energetic
ranges & sensitivities comparable to the Potentiometric-
biosensors. The simple amperometric biosensor in frequent
usage includes the “Clark oxygen” electrode.
Amperometric enzyme electrodes. (a) "
Clark's " electrode — Dialysis
membrane electrode with soluble
enzyme, or (b) entrapped enzyme and
(c) enzyme membrane electrode: (1)
transducer (2) enzyme (3) dialysis
membrane.
• Chemical biosensors are based on the
presence of a biological element, which is
specific for the analyte, and stable under
normal conditions of use and storage.
Numerous recognition elements have been
used in biosensors, such as receptors, nucleic
acids, whole cells, antibodies and different
class of enzymes.
• On this basis, optical, calorimetric or acoustic biosensors have
been built and characterized,but the most widely used
biosensors rely on the electrochemical proprieties of
transducers and analytes.
• Electrochemical biosensors have been studied since the early
1960s when the first glucose oxidase biosensor was developed
[4].
• Electrochemical biosensors can be impedimetric, potentiometric
or amperometric biosensors, where the biochemical signal is
transduced into a quantifiable amperometric signal [5]. Enzyme-
based amperometric biosensors, in which the production of a
current is monitored
• when a fixed potential is applied between two electrodes, have
been widely studied over the last few
• decades as they are easy to miniaturize, robust and can operate
with small sample volumes of rather complex matrices [6,7].
• Enzyme-based chemical biosensors are based on
biological recognition.
• In order to operate, the enzymes must be available
to catalyze a specific biochemical reaction and be
stable under the normal operating conditions of
the biosensor.
• Design of biosensors is based on knowledge
about the target analyte, as well as the complexity
of the matrix in which the analyte has to be
quantified.