The SIRE (Sensors based on Injectable Recognition Elements) Biosensor is based on award-winning research by Dr Dario Kriz, who manages the European Institute of Science and chairs the Chemel board.
The sensor does away with time-consuming pre-treatment of the sample material and allows researchers or quality control personnel to measure chemical substances much quicker than before. A newly developed software program, SIRE Control Center, allows the instrument to be run by a computer and analysis data, collected graphically displayed and processed.
The patented feature of the technology is the use of soluble recognition elements, which allows for quick changes of analytes, the enzymatic reagent is always fresh and the sensor can be run in elevated temperatures up to 5060°C. The instrument consists of a microprocessor controlled unit and a measuring probe, the tip of the probe being covered by a disposable semi-permeable membrane. The reaction principle is shown in Fig. 1.
The tip of the probe is dipped into the sample solution and the measurement is started by a simple push of a button. The reagent is then injected into a continuous buffer stream and transported to the tip of the probe where the flow is stopped and the reagent is allowed to react with the analyte molecules. This gives rise to an electrical signal transduced to the microprocessor. The enzyme is then flushed out and a new measurement is done automatically without any enzyme present in the reaction chamber to get a measure of the background, thus filtering away signals from any interfering compounds present in the sample. The whole cycle takes between one to 10 minutes depending on what concentration range and analyte chosen.
The instrument's versatility and user-friendliness allows it to be used across a wide range of areas, from food and beverage production, fermentation monitoring to pharmaceuticals and forestry.
At present, Chemel is also working on a prototype, which could be used to monitor fermentation processes in laboratories. And by changing the present sensor to a syringe-like probe, the instrument could be used for measuring chemical substances in hospital patients directly.
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Chemel AB is based in Lund, Sweden. www.chemel.com
