Biosensors on the basis of luminescent oxygen sensor: the use of microporous light-scattering support materials

New sensor technology and materials for luminescence-based oxygen sensors a re described, which utilise microporous light-scattering support in sensor fabrication. Such materials display a number of new features and advantages over conventional oxygen sensor membranes, such as, significantly increase d levels of luminescent signals obtainable from the sensor, better mechanic al, physical and optical properties and a high capacity for loading biomate rial. The new oxygen sensor technology enables simple and robust procedures of sensor fabrication, as well as saving of the sensing materials, bringin g down sensor photobleaching, and improvement in reliability of measurement s and signal resolution. Biosensors developed on the basis of the above lum inescent oxygen-sensitive materials used as chemical transducers, are descr ibed. Direct immobilisation of oxidase enzymes of the oxygen sensor membran es allows simple assays of metabolites. In particular, new batch-type enzym e biosensor for glucose has been investigated, using a new heterogeneous as say format. The latter allows simple, fast and highly reproducible analysis of important metabolites. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserv ed.