Integration of enzyme immobilised single-walled carbon nanotube arrays into microchannels for glucose detection

Abstract

Microfluidic devices for glucose detection have been constructed and developed by integration of covalently immobilised single-walled carbon nanotube arrays functionalised with glucose oxidase into a poly (dimethylsiloxane)-based microfluidic channel. With biocompatible ferrocenecarboxylic acid as electron transfer mediator, these microfluidic devices were tested systematically for electrochemical glucose detection by changing some geometrical parameters such as the width of detecting electrode as well as electrode gap between the enzyme electrode and the detecting electrode. Numerical simulations were also carried out using a finite difference model and used to further understand the concentration profiles in michochannels. The experimental results showed that glucose can be detected with a linear response up to a concentration of 5 mmol L⁻¹. Compared to reported glucose detection techniques, our microfluidic devices have some advantages such as simple design, repeated use and low cost.