Optical Waveguide Biosensors for Highly Sensitive and High-Throughput Applications

In the present study, highly sensitive and high-throughput optical waveguide biosensors were fabricated by using the sensing membranes containing dye and polymer-enzyme complex. Optical light waveguide can detect the optical change in the vicinity of the guide surface with high sensitivity due to the evanescent wave scattering. The glucose sensing membranes, composed of dye, enzymes, and biocompatible polymers were prepared by solution processing on the optical waveguide. Herein, we used 3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMBZ) as a dye, glucose oxidase (GOD) and peroxidase (POD) as enzymes, phosphatide polymer for protection of biological activity of enzyme, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a binder. Then we focused on the optimal composition and structure of sensing membranes for the enhancement in the sensitivity and response speed. The developed glucose sensors demonstrated 20 times higher sensitivity than the conventional light waveguide glucose sensors and the low-detection limit of 0.1g/L glucose within the detection time of 60 sec. For further improvement in the sensitivity, microporous sensing membranes were fabricated by using electrospraying technique. The electroprayed sensing membranes gave 40 % higher sensitivity than nonporous sensing membranes. These results show that both the composition and structure of sensing membrane are crucial factors for highly sensitive and high-throughput optical waveguide biosensors.