Shri A.M.M. Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre, Taramani, Chennai-600 113, Tamil Nadu, India
Laccases are multi-copper phenol oxidases, which reduce oxygen to water and simultaneously catalyze the oxidation of aromatic pollutants such as anilines and phenols in water and waste water samples. Based on this catalytic property the enzyme is suitable for the development of laccase based paper biosensors. Conventional procedures for the detection of phenolic compounds are lengthy and expensive. The development of a simple laccase based paper biosensor was evaluated with absorption of laccase from Trametes versicolor (UC-3) and mixing with 3-Methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride hydrate (MBTH) solutions on Whatman No.1 paper. The developed pink shades on biosensors indicated the oxidation products of phenol. The optimum enzyme concentration was 2 mg/mL and MBTH was 24 mM for the detection of phenolic content. The lowest detection limit for phenolic content is 0.1µM. Phenolic content was detected in waters, waste waters, textile dyeing effluents and textile dyes through the laccase based paper biosensor. No report was available for the detection of phenolic content in textile dyes and textile dyeing effluents by using laccase based paper biosensor.
Key words:Biosensors, laccase, MBTH, phenols.