GLUCOSE ANALYSIS UTILIZING IMMOBILIZED ENZYMES

The four commercial instruments that measure glucose by incorporation of immobilized reagents are described and compared. The design of the immobilized enzyme or enzymes is shown to be related to the type of instrument. Three of the instruments are of the partitioned enzyme-sensor type requiring an immobilized enzyme capable of rapid, constant flow rate when inserted in a flowing stream. Moderately high enzyme loading is required if the instrument is designed to operate in the equilibrium mode while lower enzyme loading can be tolerated in kinetic mode. Only one instrument is an enzyme electrode in which the immobilized glucose oxidase is in the immediate vicinity of the electrochemical detector. In that case the immobilized enzyme must have very high enzyme activity per unit volume, but need not have high physical durability. The design of the instrument and immobilized enzyme(s) is also affected by whether the instrument is to be used in an industrial or a clinical laboratory. © 1979.