Potentiometric Determination of L-Malate Using Ion-Selective Electrode in Flow Injection Analysis Syste

A potentiometric biosensor employing a CO3-2 ion-selective electrode(ISE) and malic enzyme immobilization in al flow injection analysis (FIA) system was constructed. Analytical parameters were optimized for L-malate determination . The CO3-2 -ISE-FIA system was composed of a pump, an injector, a malic enzyme (EC1.1.1.40) reactor, a CO3-2 ion-selective electrode, a pH/mV meter and a recorder. Cofactor NADP was also injected with substrate for theenzyme reaction into the system. Optimized analytical parameters for L-malate determination in the CO3-2 ISE-FIA system were as follows ; flow rate, 14.5ml/hr ; sample injection volume, 100ul; enzyme loading in the reactor, 20 units ; length of the enzyme reactor , 7 cm ; tubing length form the enzyme reactor to the detector as a geometric factor in FIA, 15 cm . The response time for measuring the entire L-malate concentration range (10-2 ~10-5 mol/L ; 4 injections )was <15minutes . In this CO3-2 -ISE-FIA system, the potential differences due to th eformation of CO3-2 by the reaction of malic enzyme on L-malate were correlated to L-malate concentration in the range of 10-2 ~10-5mol/L ; the detection limit was 10-5 mol/L. This potentionmetric CO3-2 ISE--FIA system was found to be useful for L-malate measurement.