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Alginate gels are characterized by good bio-adhesive properties and can be easily shaped into films or capsules by casting or solvent evaporation. (94)00043-7Ī three-dimensional network is formed where the poly-alginate chains and the Ca 2+ cations arrange in the elicited guluronate blocks known also as “egg-box structure” (Figure 2(b) ). Upon loading with calcium ions, the poly-alginate solution forms ordered polymeric domains, called guluronate monomers regions (GG-blocks), where the carboxylate groups of two polymer backbones are cross-linked via a single divalent calcium cation as depicted in Figure 2(a). industry as well as for use in medicine 11,15 11. Bai, Edible Coatings and Films to Improve Food Quality ( CRC Press, 2011). Due to its bio-compatibility and bio-degradability, this material is widely used for application in the food 12,13 12. M and G units are organized in MM, GG, and MG structures (Figure 1(c) ) and their relative incidence may vary depending on the source. Sodium alginate (the sodium salt of the alginic acid AA) is a naturally occurring poly-anion, harvested from brown seaweed, composed of two water-soluble polysaccharides monomer units, (1-4)-β-D-mannuronate ( M) and α-L-guluronate ( G), whose structures are reported in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), respectively. A reliable bio-sensing platform that can be easily fabricated would be of interest, particularly, if the analyte can be delivered directly into the channel. but also in the electrolyte gated OFET configuration. This has proven to be true, not only in bottom gate configurations, 6,8,9 6. A particularly important step forward in the development of OFET based biosensors has been the proof that high selectivity can be achieved when a biological receptor is directly interfaced with the electronic transducing channel.
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(04)00398-0 and they can be implemented in disposable, low-cost, and reliable diagnostic tests for point-of-care or point-of-need applications. Organic Field-Effect Transistors (OFETs) have been shown to work as performing electronic sensors 1–3 1.
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