Selective calibration models are generated for glucose over the 1-20 nM concentration range by use of partial least-squares regression analysis of near-infrared spectra from 5000 to 4000 cm-1. Two spectral data sets are used to simulate triglyceride and protein variations in clinical samples. Triacetin is used in one data set to simulate variations in triglyceride levels, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) is used in the second data set to simulate variations in blood protein levels. Although these matrix components possess strong absorption bands that overlap and overshadow the absorption bands of glucose, successful calibration models can be generated with no evidence of prediction bias caused by the different levels of the matrix components. Furthermore, the benefits of using digital Fourier filtering as a preprocessing step are evaluated in terms of calibration performance. The resulting calibration models provide standard errors of prediction of 0.5 and 0.2 mM in triacetin and BSA matrices, respectively. Accurate glucose predictions are demonstrated from spectra that correspond to protein concentrations not present in the calibration data set. Lastly, digital Fourier filtering alone is shown to have only limited ability to isolate glucose signals from those of BSA and triacetin due to similarities in the widths of the absorption bands of the three species.

A fiber-optic enzyme biosensor for the direct measurement of organophosphate nerve agents was developed. The basic element of this biosensor is organophosphorus hydrolase immobilized on a nylon membrane and attached to the common end of a bifurcated optical fiber bundle. The enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of organophosphate compounds to form stoichiometric amounts of chromophoric products that absorb light at specific wavelengths. The back-scattered radiation of the specific incident radiation was measured using a photomultiplier detector and correlated to the organophosphate concentration. The effects of buffer pH, temperature, and the units of enzyme immobilized on the steady-state and kinetic response of the biosensor were investigated to optimize the operating conditions for the fiber-optic enzyme biosensor. These conditions were then used to measure parathion, paraoxon, and coumaphos selectively without interference from carbamates and triazines. Concentrations as low as 2 microM can be measured in less than 2 min using the kinetic response. When stored in buffer at 4 degreesC the biosensor shows long-term stability.

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