Development of a sensor for acetic acid based on Fusarium solani

Electrochemical biosensors have become very important tools in analytical c hemistry because of their advantages like accuracy, high sensitivity and ea sy handling, This article describes electrochemical detection of acetic aci d based on the fungus Fusarium solani. The biosensor employed for the study of assimilation of substrates was fabricated by coupling the immobilized m embrane with the DO probe using dialysis tubing, A microbial dispersion con taining 0.2 g of wet weight of the organisms per mL was used for immobiliza tion upon cellulose nitrate membrane. The membrane retaining the fungus was placed on the Teflon membrane of the oxygen electrode so that the fungus w as trapped between the two membranes. The linear range was found to be betw een 2 and 70 ppm (v/v) of acetic acid. A polypropylene net increases the li fetime of the sensor due to its retention of humidity in the net. By dippin g the electrochemical probe onto buffer (pH 7.2), the sensor was found to h ave an extended lifetime of 120 days with about 800 determinations.