DIRECT DETERMINATION OF NICOTINE IN ANTISMOKING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AND IN TOBACCO USING AN INHIBITION BIOSENSOR

A bienzymatic inhibition biosensor, consisting of a hydrogen peroxide amperometric electrode coupled to a functionalised nylon membrane chemically bonding the enzymes butyrylcholinesterase and choline oxidase and using butyrylcholine as substrate, was prepared and tested for the analysis of nicotine. The system was applied to the analysis of several pharmaceutical formulations containing nicotine used to treat addiction and to determine the nicotine content of different types of commercial tobacco.