Sol-gel-derived titanium oxide–cerium oxide biocompatible nanocomposite film for urea sensor
Sol-gel-derived biocompatible titanium oxide–cerium oxide (TiO2–CeO2) nanocomposite film was deposited onto indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate by the dip-coating method. This nanobiocomposite film has been characterized using x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, atomic force microscope, and electrochemical techniques, respectively. The particle size of the TiO2–CeO2 nanobiocomposite film was found to be 23 nm. The urea biosensor fabricated by immobilizing mixed enzyme [urease (Urs) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH)] on this nanobiocomposite showed a response time of 10 s, sensitivity as 0.9165 μAcm−2mM−1, detection limit of 0.166 μM, and negligible effect due to interferants uric acid, cholesterol, glucose, and ascorbic acid. The value of Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) estimated using Lineweaver–Burke plot as 4.8 mM indicated enhancement in the affinity and/or activity of enzyme attached to their nanobiocomposite. This bioelectrode retained 95% of enzyme activity after 6 months at 4 °C.