Affinity mass sensors: determination of fructose

Abstract By combining a piezoelectric quartz crystal and boronate affinity chromatography, an affinity mass sensor has been fabricated to detect fructose. The sensor responds to fructose in the concentration range 0.1–12 mg ml −1 . The values of the association rate constant and the dissociation rate constant of the affinity reaction between 3-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA) and fructose were determined. The effect of various operating parameters were studied and compared with the results predicted previously by numerical simulations. The precision (relative standard deviation for 10 replicate injections) and the recovery obtained under optimum conditions were 1.5 and 99%, respectively. The average recovery for the determination of fructose in honey samples was 101%. The sensor demonstrated operational stability for 4 days and hence is reusable.