A biosensor for monitoring formaldehyde using a new lipophilic tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane salt and a polyurethane membrane

A format for a disposable screen-printed biosensor was investigated for monitoring formaldehyde. The screen-printed sensor format comprised a working electrode (WE) modified with platinised carbon, a new lipophilic tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF-TCNQ) salt as mediator, a plasticised polyurethane membrane (TECOFLEX SG80, PU) with anionic sites and the enzyme (formaldehyde dehydrogenase FOH) and co-factor (β-NAD+). The new lipophilic TTF-TCNQ salt gave a smooth, robust electrode surface rather than microcrystalline deposits of the salt observed with TTF-TCNQ salts. Entrapment of the enzyme and co-factor behind a plastcised PU membrane with anionic sites enhanced the sensitivity and stability of the sensor. A linear response between 10−3 and 10−4 mol dm−3 was observed. To demonstrate the feasibility of the use of the screen-printed sensor to monitoring formaldehyde in ambient air, preliminary experiments were carried out in the vicinity of a local medium density fibreboard factory and its performance compared to that of a biosensor made from the same platinised carbon and enzyme system, but without the lipophilic TTF-TCNQ and membrane, using a commercial ‘Rank’ cell. Samples were collected using a Molspin ‘Super-sniffer’.