Laccase immobilization on the electrode surface to design a biosensor for the detection of phenolic compound such as catechol.

Biosensors based on the coupling of a biological entity with a suitable transducer offer an effective route to detect phenolic compounds. Phenol and phenolic compounds are among the most toxic environmental pollutants. Laccases are multi-copper oxidases that can oxide phenol and phenolic compounds. A method is described for construction of an electrochemical biosensor to detect phenolic compounds based on covalent immobilization of laccase (Lac) onto polyaniline (PANI) electrodeposited onto a glassy carbon (GC) electrode via glutaraldehyde coupling. The modified electrode was characterized by voltammetry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The results indicated that laccase was immobilized onto modified GC electrode by the covalent interaction between laccase and terminal functional groups of the glutaraldehyde. The laccase immobilized modified electrode showed a direct electron transfer reaction between laccase and the electrode. Linear range, sensitivity, and detection limit for this biosensor were 3.2 × 10(-6) to 19.6 × 10(-6)M, 706.7 mAL mol(-1), 2.07 × 10(-6)M, respectively.