Synthetic membranes comprising a polymer amp; dispersed liquid crystal, and membrane-based enzyme biosensors comprising such membranes

摘要

A synthetic membrane is disclosed which comprises a polymer, a liquid crystal dispersed therein and optionally a surfactant. Such a membrane displays selective permeability (thus allowing specific compounds to be screened from a liquid sample) and good biocompatibility (thus reducing the biofouling of the membrane surface) characteristics. A membrane-based amperometric enzyme biosensor is disclosed which comprises such a membrane. The enzyme may be a hydrolytic enzyme such as an arylacylamidase enzyme. These biosensors may be used in the analysis of liquid samples, for example the monitoring of glucose concentration in blood or urine in diabetes treatment, analysis of paracetamol concentration, detection/quantification of compounds (such as ascorbic acid, catechol, hydrogen peroxide, dopamine or 4-aminophenol) and analysis of water samples for environmental applications. The membrane may be used in haemodialysis. The membrane can be produced by: SL LIa) dissolving a polymer in tetrahydrofuran (THF), LIb) dissolving a liquid crystal and optionally surfactant (eg. by ultrasonification) into the polymer solution, LIc) pouring the resulting solution onto a surface, eg a petri dish, and LId) covering the surface to effect slow and controlled evaporation of solvent and precipitation of the membrane. /SL