SIMPLE AND MILD PREPARATION OF AN ENZYME-IMMOBILIZED MEMBRANE FOR A BIOSENSOR USING BETA-TYPE CRYSTALLINE CHITIN

A thin enzyme-immobilized membrane was prepared from squid pen chitin under simple and mild conditions. Squid pen chitin had better physical properties than crab chitin owing to the beta-type crystalline structure in the former. The membrane exhibited not only the ability to entrap enzyme molecules but also sufficient oxygen and glucose perm abilities useful for biosensors. A glucose sensor, which was constructed with glucose oxidase immobilized on the chitin membrane and an oxygen electrode, exhibited a wide range of linearity (0.125-2.0 mM) and possessed good stability.