A composite amperometric tyrosinase biosensor for the determination of the additive propyl gallate in foodstuffs

The performance of a graphite-Teflon composite amperometric tyrosinase biosensor for the determination of the food additive propyl gallate (PG) in different types of foodstuffs is reported. The enzyme reaction involves the catalytic oxidation of PG to the corresponding o-quinone, and the electrochemical reduction of this o-quinone was employed to monitor the enzyme reaction. Depending on the nature of the food sample analysed and on the presence of other phenolic antioxidants in these samples, aqueous buffer solutions or predominantly nonaqueous acetonitrile-Tris buffer mixtures were employed as working media. Experimental conditions such as the aqueous solution percentage in the predominantly nonaqueous medium, pH, and the potential to be applied were optimised. Control charts constructed showed a useful lifetime for the biosensor of 40 days when working in phosphate buffer of pH 6.5, and of 50 days in 80:20 acetonitrile-Tris buffer (pH 7.4) mixture. The limits of detection obtained for PG in these media were 9.0×10−7 and 1.1×10−6 mol L−1, respectively. The composite bioelectrode also performed well in the flow-injection mode. PG was determined in dehydrated broth bars using the phosphate buffer solution of pH 6.5 as working medium. However, PG was determined in spiked olive oil in the working medium formed by the 80:20 acetonitrile-Tris buffer mixture, because a liquid-liquid extraction step was carried out. Comparison of the results with those obtained by applying reference methods showed that no significant differences existed at a significance level of 0.05.