Comparative study of different alcohol sensors based on Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes

Different very simple single-use alcohol enzyme sensors were developed using alcohol oxidase (AOX) from three different yeast, Hansenula sp., Pichia pastoris and Candida boidinii, and employing three different commercial mediator-based Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes as transducers. The mediators tested, Prussian Blue, Ferrocyanide and Co-phthalocyanine were included into the ink of the working electrode. The procedure to obtain these sensors consists of the immobilization of the enzyme on the electrode surface by adsorption. For the immobilization, an AOX solution is deposited on the working electrode and left until dried (1 h) at room temperature. The best results were obtained with the biosensor using Screen-Printed Co-phthalocyanine/Carbon Electrode and AOX from Hansenula sp. The reduced cobalt–phthalocyanine form is amperometrically detected at +0.4 V (vs. Ag pseudo reference electrode). This sensor shows good sensitivity (1211 nA mM−1), high precision (2.1% RSD value for the slope value of the calibration plot) and wide linear response (0.05–1.00 mM) for ethanol determination. The sensor provides also accurate results for ethanol quantification in alcoholic drinks.

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► We developed three alcohol sensors using screen-printed carbon/mediator electrodes.
► Better results were obtained with screen-printed carbon/Co-phthalocyanine electrodes.
► The sensor is fabricated in a simple way resulting in good sensitivity and stability.
► Results obtained in real samples have good accuracy and precision comparing with GC.