AN FIA BIOSENSOR SYSTEM FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PHOSPHATE

A flow injection analysis (FIA) biosensor system for the determination of phosphate was constructed using immobilized nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine oxidase and an amperometric electrode (platinum vs silver/silver chloride, polarized at 0.7 V). When a phosphate-containing sample was injected into the detection cell, phosphate reacted with inosine in the carrier buffer to produce hypoxanthine and ribose-1-phosphate in the presence of nucleoside phosphorylase. Hypoxanthine was then oxidized by xanthine oxidase to uric acid and hydrogen peroxide, which were both detected by the amperometric electrode. The response of the FIA biosensor system was linear up to 100-mu-M phosphate, with a minimum detectable concentration of 1.25-mu-M phosphate. Each assay could be performed in 5-6 min and the system could be used for about 160 repeated analyses. This system was applicable for the determination of phosphate in various food products and plasma, and the results obtained agreed well with those of the enzymatic assay.