Biosensors

A Presentation by

Niloy Paul
Reg. No. 14-05-3183
Department of Biotechnology
BSMRAU
 What are biosensors?

• A device that uses specific biochemical

reactions mediated by isolated enzymes,
immuno systems, tissues, organelles or
whole cells to detect chemical compounds
usually by electrical, thermal or optical
signals.
 Biosensor

Biosensor
A biosensor is an analytical device, used for the detection of a chemical substance, that
combines a biological component with a physicochemical detector.
Bioreceptor
The sensitive biological element, e.g. tissue, microorganisms, organelles, cell receptors,
enzymes, antibodies, nucleic acids, etc., is a biologically derived material or biomimetic
component that interacts, binds, or recognizes with the analyte under study. The
biologically sensitive elements can also be created by biological engineering.
Transducer
The transducer or the detector element, which transforms one signal into another one,
works in a physicochemical way: optical, piezoelectric, electrochemical,
electrochemiluminescence etc., resulting from the interaction of the analyte with the
biological element, to easily measure and quantify.
Introduction to Biosensors
A biosensor is an analytical device which is used to determine
the presence and concentration of a specific substance in a
biological analyte.

Desired molecule

Signal
Bioreceptor Transducer
Processing Display

Biosample

Biosensor

Recognition Transduction Signal Processing

 Father of the Biosensor

American biochemist

He is most well known as the inventor of the 

Clark electrode, a device used for measuring oxygen in
blood, water and other liquids.

Clark is considered the "father of biosensors", and the

modern-day glucose sensor used daily by millions of
diabetics is based on his research. 

Professor Leland C Clark Jr.

1918–2005
Principle of Biosensors
 Biosensor system
• A biosensor typically consists of a bio-recognition site, biotransducer component,
and electronic system which includes a signal amplifier, processor, and display.

• The recognition component, often called a bioreceptor, uses biomolecules from

organisms or receptors modeled after biological systems to interact with the
analyte of interest.

• This interaction is measured by the biotransducer which outputs a measurable

signal proportional to the presence of the target analyte in the sample. The
general aim of the design of a biosensor is to enable quick, convenient testing at
the point of concern or care where the sample was procured.
Components of Biosensor
Introduction to Biosensors

Bioreceptor Transducer

Absorption
Fluorescence
Antibody Optical Interference

potentiometric
Enzyme Electrochemical amperometric
conductimetric

Nucleic Acid (DNA) Mass based

Cell Temperature based

Dielectric properties
Electric & Permeability properties
MIP
Magnetic Voltage or Current
 Bioreceptors
• In a biosensor, the bioreceptor is designed to interact with the specific analyte
of interest to produce an effect measurable by the transducer.

• High selectivity for the analyte among a matrix of other chemical or biological
components is a key requirement of the bioreceptor.

• While the type of biomolecule used can vary widely, biosensors can be
classified according to common types of bioreceptor interactions involving:
antibody/antigen, enzymes/ligands, nucleic acids/DNA, cellular structures/cells,
or biomimetic materials.
Bioreceptors

Antibodies are biological molecules that exhibit

 Antibody very specific binding capabilities for specific
structure (antigens).

membrane

Antigen It can be recognized by antibody.

Bioreceptors

Bioreceptor

Display
 Bioreceptors
 Enzyme

Enzyme is a large protein molecule that acts as a catalyst in chemical reactions.

Enzymes are often chosen as bioreceptors based on their specific binding
capabilities as well as their catalytic activity
Bioreceptors

Bioreceptor

Display
 Bioreceptors

DNA structure
Another biorecognition mechanism involves
hybridization of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
or ribonucleic acid (RNA), which are the
building blocks of genetics.

Four chemical bases:

• adenine(A), guanine (G),

• cytosine (C), and thymine (T)

 Bioreceptors

Principles of DNA biosensors

Nucleic acid hybridization
(Target Sequence)

ssDNA (Probe) (Hybridization) (Stable dsDNA)

Bioreceptors

Bioreceptor

Display
Bioreceptors

 Living Cell

Nourishment

Product
Bioreceptors

Bioreceptor

Display
Surface attachment of the biological elements
• An important part in a biosensor is to attach the biological elements (small
molecules/protein/cells) to the surface of the sensor (be it metal, polymer or
glass).

• The simplest way is to functionalize the surface in order to coat it with the
biological elements. This can be done by polylysine, aminosilane, epoxysilane or
nitrocellulose in the case of silicon chips/silica glass.

• Subsequently, the bound biological agent may be for example fixed by Layer by
layer depositation of alternatively charged polymer coatings.
Surface attachment of the biological elements
• Alternatively three-dimensional lattices (hydrogel/xerogel) can be used to
chemically or physically entrap these the biological elements.

• Chemically entrapping is keeping the biological elements in place by a strong

bond, while physically they are kept in place being unable to pass through the
pores of the gel matrix.

• The most commonly used hydrogel is sol-gel, a glassy silica generated by

polymerization of silicate monomers in the presence of the biological elements
(along with other stabilizing polymers, such as PEG) in the case of physical
entrapment. There is also acrylate hydrogel.
 Immobilizatiom
The immobilization is done either by physical entrapment or chemical attachment.

Physical Entrapment
Bioreceptor (Antibody, Enzyme, Cell, …) + polymer solution → polymerization

Adsorption
adsorptive interactions such as ionic, polar or hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic
interaction.
Immobilizatiom
Covalent bounding
formation of a stable covalent bond between functional groups of the bioreceptor
components and the transducer

Cross-linking
bridging between functional groups on the outer membrane of the receptor by
multifunctional reagents to transducer. The cells can be bounded directly onto the
electrode surface or on a removable support membrane, which can be placed on the
transducer surface
 Types of Biosensors
Biosensors can be classified by their biotransducer type. Based on this, the most common
types of biosensors are:
• Optical biosensors
• Electronic biosensors
• Electrochemical biosensors
• Piezoelectric biosensors
• Gravimetric biosensors
• Pyroelectric biosensors
• Calorimetric Biosensor
• Potentiometric Biosensor
• Amperometric Biosensor
conductimetric
Basic Characteristics of a Biosensor

1. LINEARITY Linearity of the sensor should be high

for the detection of high substrate
concentration.

2. SENSITIVITY Value of the electrode response per

substrate concentration.

3. SELECTIVITY Chemicals Interference must be

minimized for obtaining the correct result.

4. RESPONSE TIME Time necessary for having 95%

of the response.
Required Characteristics of Biosensors

• Sensitivity • Utility
• Linearity • Field portability
• Selectivity • Reproducibility
• Response time • Ease of calibration
• Cost • Stability
• Simplicity • Accuracy
• Reliability • Precision
• Speed • Room for improvement
Example of biosensors

Pregnancy test

Detects the hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) protein

in urine.

Glucose monitoring device (for diabetes patients)

Monitors the glucose level in the blood.

Typical Sensing Techniques for Biosensors

Fluorescence
DNA Microarray
SPR Surface plasmon resonance
Impedance spectroscopy
SPM (Scanning probe microscopy, AFM,
STM)
QCM (Quartz crystal microbalance)
SERS (Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy)
Electrochemical
 Optical Biosensors

• Colorimetric for color

Measure change in light adsorption

• Photometric for light intensity

Photon output for a luminescent or
fluorescent process can be detected
with photomultiplier tubes or
photodiode systems.
 Piezo-Electric Biosensors

Piezo-electric devices use gold to detect the

specific angle at which electron waves are
emitted when the substance is exposed to laser
light or crystals, such as quartz, which vibrate
under the influence of an electric field.

The change in frequency is proportional

to the mass of absorbed material.
 Electrochemical Biosensors

• For applied current: Movement of e- in redox

reactions detected when a potential is applied
between two electrodes.
Potentiometric Biosensor

• For voltage: Change in distribution of charge is detected

using ion-selective electrodes, such as pH-meters.
 Calorimetric Biosensors

If the enzyme catalyzed reaction is exothermic,

two thermistors may be used to
measure the difference in resistance
between reactant and product and, hence,
the analyte concentration.
 Electrochemical DNA Biosensor
 Steps involved in electrochemical DNA
hybridization biosensors:

1. Formation of the DNA recognition layer

2. Actual hybridization event
3. Transformation of the hybridization event
into an electrical signal
 DNA biosensor

Motivated by the application to clinical diagnosis

and genome mutation detection

Types DNA Biosensors

• Electrodes
• Chips
• Crystals
 Potential Applications

• Clinical diagnostics
• Food and agricultural processes
• Environmental (air, soil, and water) monitoring
• Detection of warfare agents.
 Application of Biosensor

 Food Analysis
 Study of biomolecules and their interaction
 Drug Development
 Crime detection
 Medical diagnosis (both clinical and laboratory use)
 Environmental field monitoring
 Quality control
 Industrial Process Control
 Detection systems for biological warfare agents
 Manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and replacement

organs
 • Biosensors play a part in the field of
environmental quality, medicine and industry
mainly by identifying material and the degree
of concentration present.