Electrochemical techniques for the development of amperometric biosensors

Abstract

Amperometric biosensors, commonly also referred to as enzyme electrodes, constitute a rapidly growing area of interest to biotechnologists. These devices combine the analytical power of electrochemistry with the specificity of biological catalysts for particular substrates. Considering the wide range of enzymes that are now available, the scope for applications is broad. This paper seeks to describe electrochemical techniques that are useful in the development of amperometric biosensors, at a level accessible to the biotechnologist. The main emphasis is on direct current cyclic voltammetry, which is of particular value in identifying and characterising electrochemically coupled enzymatic reactions. In addition, the importance of the rotating disc enzyme electrode in determining the effect of substrate mass transport on the response of an amperometric biosensor is described.