Chapter 23 Screen-printed electrochemical (bio)sensors in biomedical, environmental and industrial applications

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a number of approaches for the fabrication of prototype screen-printed electrochemical (bio) sensors together with selected applications in the areas of biomedical, environmental and industrial analyses. Novel methods of immobilizing the bio-recognition elements of the biosensors have been emphasized and it is clear that researchers are designing simpler methods of manufacture. One example of this has been the one-step fabrication of a glucose biosensor using a water-based carbon ink incorporating both mediator and enzyme. It is believed that portable electrochemical instruments will become more readily available allowing measurements to be made outside of the laboratory. In one example, the discussion has collaborated with several organizations to develop an automatic instrument for use with a biosensor to determine NH4 + in sewage effluent. It is mentioned that there is a flexible hand-held electrochemical instrument on the market, which can be programmed to be used in a variety of voltammetric/amperometric modes in the field. Although the majority of biosensor applications described in this chapter are for single analyte detection, it is very likely that future directions will involve development of biosensor arrays for multi-analyte determinations. One example of this approach has been described in an earlier section, where five organophosphates could be monitored with an array of biosensors based on mutant forms of acetylcholinesterase from D. melanogaster . This array has considerable potential for monitoring the quality of food, such as wheat and fruit.