Development of a catalase based biosensor for alcohol determination in beer samples

An amperometric biosensor based on catalase enzyme for alcohol determination was developed. To construct the biosensor catalase was immobilized by using gelatin and glutaraldehyde on a Clark type dissolved oxygen (DO) probe covered with a teflon membrane which is sensitive for oxygen. The working principle of the biosensor depends on two reactions, which one is related to another, catalyzed by catalase enzyme. In the first reaction catalase catalyzes the degradation of hydrogen peroxide and oxygen is produced and also a steady-state DO concentration occurs in a few minutes. When ethanol added to the medium catalase catalyzes the degradation of both hydrogen peroxide and ethanol and this results in a new steady-state DO concentration. Difference for first and the last steady-state DO concentration occurred in the interval surface of DO probe membrane, which related to ethanol concentration, are detected by the biosensor. The biosensor response depends linearly on ethanol concentration between 0.05 and 1.0 mM with a detection limit of 0.05 mM and a response time of 3 min. In the optimization studies of the biosensor phosphate buffer (pH 7.0; 50 mM) and 35 °C were established as providing the optimum working conditions. In the characterization studies of the biosensor some parameters such as reproducibility, substrate specificity, operational and storage stability were carried out. Finally, by using the biosensor developed and enzimatic-spectrophotometric method alcohol concentration of some alcoholic drinks were determined and results were compared.