Micromachined sensor for lactate monitoring in saliva.

A miniaturised sensor for continuous lactate measurement in saliva was developed and tested. The sensor was built using silicon microfabrication technologies. The size of the chip is 5.5 mmx6.4 mmx0.7 mm and features a working, a counter and an Iridium reference electrode. The chip has a cavity whose floor is perforated by fine pores. The cavity contains the enzyme lactate oxidase (LOD), which is immobilised in an agarose gel. Prior to the amperometric detection of the reaction product hydrogen peroxide at the working electrode, the analyte lactate has to pass the pores to reach the cavity with the lactate oxidase by diffusion. To test the silicon sensor, capillary blood and saliva samples were obtained during standardised ergometer tests. Salivary lactate concentrations were determined with the sensor and compared to photometrically derived data from a lab-automate. In addition the saliva data were compared to standard capillary blood lactate concentrations measured with a pocket photometer. Lactate concentration versus load graphs were plotted and compared visually showing very similar progressions. The novel approach enables a location independent, permanent real-time measurement of the lactate concentration during exercise.