Enzyme Immobilization by Amperometric Biosensors with TiO2 Nanoparticles Used to Detect Phenol Compounds

Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO2) have unique properties in creating an appropriate microenvironment for immobilizing biomolecules without loss of biological activity, and facilitating electron transference between the enzyme and surface of the electrode. TiO2 properties have led to its intensive use in building electrochemical biosensors. Another aspect is, the chemical process of sol-gel which offers new and interesting advantages in the encapsulation of biomolecules sensitive to heat and environmental conditions (enzymes, proteins, antibodies, and cells from plants, animals and micro-organisms), mainly due to a synthesized process at low temperatures. The nanomaterials produced by sol-gel have many advantages, including chemical inertia, physical rigidity, insignificant swelling in an aqueous medium, and porosity. For this reason, electrochemical biosensors consisting of nanomaterials have been extensively investigated and used in important industrial sectors, such as, those of pharmaceuticals, health, food, agriculture, and environment. They provide real-time data, which allows the control and traceability of each of the processes involved. Biosensors are devices that consist of one element of molecular recognition (biomolecules) and one transduction element. The objective of this work is to conduct a review of electrochemical biosensors using nanoparticles obtained from the sol-gel process and their potential application to measure phenol compounds.