Electrochemistry of Voltammetric Biosensors used for the Measurement of Blood Glucose Concentration

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, action, or both (American Diabetes Association, 2010). In 2011, the prevalence of Americans with diabetes was estimated to be 25.8 million or 8.3% of the population. If present trends continue, it is predicted that as many as 1 in 3 American adults with have been diagnosed with diabetes by 2050 (American Diabetes Association, 2014). In 2012, the worldwide health problem cost diagnosed patients in the United States $245 billion in 2012. The worldwide commercial market for biosensors is predicted to reach $12 billion by 2015. Importantly, glucose biosensors account for up to 90% of the world market for universal biosensors (Global Industry Analysts, Inc., 2011). Therefore, careful consideration of their chemical application and distinctive parts are the main subject of this paper.

The emergence of the glucose biosensor was a historical landmark in the diagnosis of diabetes. The first glucose biosensor was publicly proposed by Professor Leland C. Clark Jr. in 1962 at New York Academy of Sciences symposium. His particular research described “how to make electrochemical sensors more intelligent by adding enzyme transducers as membrane enclosed sandwiches” (Clark et al., 1962). The first successful glucose biosensor was termed “Model 23A YSI analyzer” developed by the Yellow Springs Instrument Company in 1975. It was typically only used by professionals and hospitals as the cost of equipment to operate and analyze exceeded $20,000 (Rypins et al., 1985). By 2000, a more non-invasive method was introduced through the invention of the GlucoWatch® Biographer. The wearable glucose monitor...

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