Development of a gas-phase oxygen biosensor using a blue copper-containing oxidase.

A gas-phase oxygen biosensor based on blue copper-containing oxidases was developed. Blue-oxidase enzymes, including laccase and ascorbate oxidase, have a blue chromophore prosthetic group, type 1 Cu+2, which can be reduced and decolorized with reducing substrates. When the enzyme is reoxidized with molecular oxygen, there is a concomitant return of the blue color. The oxygen biosensor consisted of the Rhus vernicifera laccase and ascorbate as substrate enclosed in pouches of low-density polyethylene under nitrogen gas. Operational stability of the biosensor was established by exposing it to different oxygen/nitrogen gas mixtures at 5 degrees C. Gas-phase oxygen concentrations were measured by keeping it under nitrogen gas and subsequently recording the rate of reappearance of the enzyme blue color, both visually and spectrophotometrically at 610 nm. The oxygen biosensor was able to detect a wide range of oxygen concentrations. The time required to recover the blue color, namely the biosensor response time, at the optimized assay conditions of 5 degrees C and a high-water activity level, was determined. This research describes the development of an oxygen biosensor with adequate activity and stability to measure gas-phase oxygen concentrations at 5 degrees C and high-water activity levels. The oxygen biosensor could be used to indicate oxygen concentrations above acceptable levels in headspace oxygen concentration which could affect the quality and safety of products packaged under initial low levels of oxygen concentration.