Amperometric Biosensors for Amino Acid Detection
Summary
Amperometric biosensors employ an enzyme or bio-recognition element coupled to an electrochemical transducer to convert the concentration of target amino acids into a measurable current. Typically, an oxidase enzyme catalyses the selective oxidation of an amino acid, producing hydrogen peroxide or another electroactive species. The transducer, often a carbon-based or metal nanostructured electrode, generates a current proportional to the rate of the enzymatic reaction under an applied potential. Recent design strategies focus on enhancing sensitivity and selectivity through integration of nanomaterials, such as metal nanoparticles and graphene derivatives, which increase electrode surface area and facilitate electron transfer. Immobilisation techniques—ranging from covalent binding to encapsulation in polymer matrices—are optimised to preserve enzyme activity and ensure long-term stability. Such devices offer low detection limits, rapid response times and potential for miniaturisation. Applications span clinical diagnostics (monitoring amino acid biomarkers in blood or urine), food-quality control and bioprocess monitoring. Ongoing challenges include mitigation of matrix interferences, standardisation of fabrication methods and extension to multiplexed platforms for simultaneous detection of several amino acids.
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Amperometric Biosensors for Amino Acid Detection publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in amperometric biosensors for amino acid detection across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Amperometric biosensor: An analytical device that measures current resulting from oxidation or reduction of an electroactive species produced by a biorecognition event.
Oxidase: An enzyme that catalyses the oxidation of a substrate by molecular oxygen, often producing hydrogen peroxide.
Nanozyme: A nanomaterial with intrinsic enzyme-like catalytic activity, used to mimic natural enzymes in biosensing.
Immobilisation: The process of attaching or entrapping enzymes or cells on a sensor surface to maintain activity and stability.
Limit of detection (LOD): The lowest concentration of analyte that can be reliably distinguished from background noise.
Selectivity: The ability of a biosensor to preferentially respond to the target analyte in the presence of potential interferents.
References
- Amperometric Biosensors for L-Arginine Determination Based on L-Arginine Oxidase and Peroxidase-Like Nanozymes. Applied Sciences (2021).
- Detection of L-lysine in food supplement based on amperometric biosensors. Journal of Physics Conference Series (2023).
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