Enzyme stabilization in electrochemical sensors

1. A composition for forming an electrode, the composition comprising an electrically conductive component having an analyte-specific enzyme covalently bound only to the electrically conductive component, wherein the composition further comprises at least one electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component stabilizing the analyte-specific enzyme by converting chemical substances causing decomposition of the enzyme, and wherein the electrically conductive component and/or the electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component is provided in the form of nanoparticles.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive component is a H 2 O 2 -decomposition catalyst.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive component is selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, carbon black, graphite, carbonaceous nanotubes, palladium, platinum, and hydroxides of iron oxide.

4. The composition according to claim 3 , wherein the electrically conductive component is selected from the group consisting of graphite and carbonaceous nanotubes.

5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the enzyme is an oxidase.

6. The composition according to claim 5 , wherein the enzyme is a glucose oxidase.

7. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component is a H 2 O 2 -decomposition catalyst.

8. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component is selected from the group consisting of an H 2 O 2 -degrading metal oxide and an H 2 O 2 -degrading enzyme.

9. The composition according to claim 8 , wherein the electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component is Ag 2 O, Al 2 O 3 or an oxide of a metal of the 4th period of the periodic table.

10. The composition according to claim 8 , wherein the H 2 O 2 -degrading enzyme is peroxidase or catalase.

11. The composition according to claim 9 , wherein the oxide of a metal of the 4th period of the periodic table is MnO 2 , Mn 3 O 4 or Mn 5 O 8 , CuO or ZnO.

12. The composition according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one binder selected from the group consisting of fluorinated hydrocarbons, polycarbonates, polyisoprene, polyurethanes, acrylic resins, polyvinyl resins and silicones.

13. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive component and/or the electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component is homogeneously dispersed in the composition.

14. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the enzyme has a residual activity of at least 90% after storing the composition for at least 4 weeks at a temperature of 4° C., based on the total activity of the enzyme before storage.

15. The composition according to claim 14 , wherein the enzyme has a residual activity of at least 90% after storing the composition for at least 28 weeks at a temperature of 4° C., based on the total activity of the enzyme before storage.

16. An electrochemical sensor for determining an analyte, the sensor comprising at least one working electrode and at least one reference electrode, wherein the working electrode comprises the composition according to claim 1 .

17. The electrochemical sensor according to claim 16 , wherein it comprises a biocompatible coating covering the working electrode and the reference electrode.

18. The electrochemical sensor according to claim 16 for determining an analyte in a body fluid.

19. The electrochemical sensor according to claim 16 for determining an analyte selected from the group consisting of malic acid, alcohol, ammonium, ascorbic acid, cholesterol, cysteine, glucose, glutathione, glycerol, urea, 3-hydroxybutyrate, lactic acid, 5′-nucleotidase, peptides, pyruvate, salicylate and triglycerides.

20. The electrochemical sensor according to claim 19 for determining glucose.

21. A method for determining an analyte, comprising the steps:

(a) contacting a sample containing the analyte with an electrochemical sensor according to claim 16 , and

(b) determining the presence and/or the amount of the analyte.

22. A composition for forming an electrode, the composition comprising an electrically conductive component having an analyte-specific enzyme covalently bound only to the electrically conductive component, wherein the composition further comprises at least one electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component stabilizing the analyte-specific enzyme by converting chemical substances causing decomposition of the enzyme, and at least one binder selected from the group consisting of fluorinated hydrocarbons, polycarbonates, polyisoprene, polyurethanes, acrylic resins, polyvinyl resins and silicones, and wherein the electrically conductive component and/or the electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component is homogeneously dispersed in the composition.

23. A composition for forming an electrode, the composition comprising:

an electrically conductive component having an analyte-specific enzyme covalently bound only to the electrically conductive component; and

at least one electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component stabilizing the analyte-specific enzyme by converting chemical substances causing decomposition of the enzyme,

wherein the at least one electrically nonconductive or semiconductive component is an H 2 O 2 -degrading metal oxide comprising Ag 2 O, Al 2 O 3 or an oxide of a metal of the 4th period of the periodic table.

24. The composition according to claim 23 , wherein the H 2 O 2 -degrading metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of MnO 2 , Mn 3 O 4 , Mn 5 O 8 , CuO, and ZnO.

25. The composition according to claim 23 , wherein the electrically conductive component is a H 2 O 2 -decomposition catalyst.

26. The composition according to claim 23 , wherein the electrically conductive component is selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, carbon black, graphite, carbonaceous nanotubes, palladium, platinum, and hydroxides of iron oxide.