Cost-effective, microstrip antenna driven ring resonator microwave biosensor for biospecific detection of glucose

Abstract

We present a biosensor based on electromagnetic ring resonator for label-free detection of glucose. The sensing mechanism is based on the principle that the resonant frequencies of such structures depend on the structure geometry and the physical properties of the medium they are in, such as electrical permittivity. The sensor in this paper uses a split-ring resonator fabricated on a flame retardant four substrate via simple printed circuit board fabrication techniques. Glucose oxidase enzyme was incorporated in order to provide biospecificity for glucose. Conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)poly(styrenesulfonate), also known as PEDOT:PSS, was used for the immobilization of the enzyme on sensor surface. The redshift of the resonant frequency of the sensor in response to DI water, glucose, and NaCl solutions are shown to be in agreement with simulation results and theoretical expectations. In the presence of the enzyme, the sensor loaded with a glucose solution was observed to experience a resonant frequency shift of 17.5 MHz in 15 min, whereas other reagents such as fructose, sucrose, and NaCl did not respond significantly, confirming the biospecificity. The sensor was measured to have a sensitivity of 0.107 MHz/mgml-1. © 1995-2012 IEEE.