Biomolecule immobilization on electrode surfaces by entrapment or attachment to electrochemically polymerized films. A review

The concept and potentialities of electrochemical procedures of biomolecule immobilization based on electropolymerized films are described. The biomol ecule entrapment in conventional electrogenerated polymers such as polypyrr ole, polyaniline or polyphenol is compared with an electrochemical procedur e involving the adsorption of amphiphilic monomers and biomolecules before the polymerization step. Examples of organic phase enzyme electrode and ele ctrical wiring of immobilized enzymes are presented. Furthermore, the const ruction of controlled architectures based on spatially segregated multilaye rs, exhibiting complementary biological activities is described. Then, the use of functionalized polymers bearing functional groups for the covalent:b inding of biomolecules is reported. Moreover, the attachment of biomolecule s to biotinylated polymers through affinity interactions based on avidin-bi otin bridge is presented. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserve d.