Microfluidic systems enable fast and reproducible reactions, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and control over chemical processes. The aim of the master’s thesis was to develop/assemble a microfluidic system that functions as a flow biosensor for analyzing the antioxidant capacity of selected foods. The system is based on a microreactor with immobilized Bacillus subtilis spores on magnetic microparticles, which are retained in the reactor by a magnetic field. The test is based on the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) method. The method relies on the reduction of the ABTS*+ radical during interactions with antioxidants present in food suspensions. The formation of the colored ABTS*+ radical is based on the oxidation of the colorless ABTS by the CotA protein in the Bacillus subtilis spore coat, which exhibits laccase activity. In preliminary studies, we determined the effect of growth temperature and thawing method of the spores on their laccase activity, as well as the effect of pH and the ratio between magnetic microparticles and spores on the conversion of ABTS into the ABTS*+ radical. The formation of the radical at the outlet of the microfluidic system was measured using a flow UV/VIS miniaturized spectrophotometer (ODcube). To determine the antioxidant capacity, a food sample was injected into the system’s microchannels through an injector prior to the ODcube, where it reacted with the ABTS*+ radical formed in the microreactor. The presence of antioxidants in the food caused a decrease in the radical concentration, which we monitored with the ODcube. The antioxidant capacity was calculated based on the decrease in concentration compared to the initial radical concentration. With the developed microfluidic system, we analyzed samples of various juices and green teas, and compared the obtained values with the antioxidant capacity standard Trolox. Compared to batch processes, the microfluidic system was much more efficient and cost-effective, as it allowed stable operation for several days with the ability to analyze a large number of samples in a short time without the need for new biocatalyst preparation.
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