Affinity mass sensors: determination of fructose

By combining a piezoelectric quartz crystal and boronate affinity chromatog raphy, an affinity mass sensor has been fabricated to detect fructose. The sensor responds to fructose in the concentration range 0.1-12 mg ml(-1). Th e values of the association rate constant and the dissociation rate constan t of the affinity reaction between 3-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA) and fru ctose were determined. The effect of various operating parameters were stud ied and compared with the results predicted previously by numerical simulat ions. The precision (relative standard deviation for 10 replicate injection s) and the recovery obtained under optimum conditions were 1.5 and 99%, res pectively. The average recovery for the determination of fructose in honey samples was 101%. The sensor demonstrated operational stability for 4 days and hence is reusable. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.