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 are 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 increased levels of luminescent signals obtainable from the sensor, better mechanical, physical and optical properties and a high capacity for loading biomaterial. The new oxygen sensor technology enables simple and robust procedures of sensor fabrication, as well as saving of the sensing materials, bringing down sensor photobleaching, and improvement in reliability of measurements and signal resolution. Biosensors developed on the basis of the above luminescent oxygen-sensitive materials used as chemical transducers, are described. Direct immobilisation of oxidase enzymes of the oxygen sensor membranes allows simple assays of metabolites. In particular, new batch-type enzyme biosensor for glucose has been investigated, using a new heterogeneous assay format. The latter allows simple, fast and highly reproducible analysis of important metabolites. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.