What is a biosensor?

A biosensor is a device to which it has a biological substance (an enzyme, an antibody, a protein, DNA, etc.). For example, lead or bacteria in the water, toxins in food. The device translates the chemical change occurred in the presence of the compound of biological origin in an electrical signal process able.

The most successful example and spread so far is the biosensor to measure blood glucose of diabetic patients. This is a device smaller than a cell phone, whose recognition is the enzyme glucose oxidizes. The patient places a droplet of blood on disposable test strips and within seconds know your glucose level.

The potential applications of this new technology in the areas of health, food and the environment will, in the next thirty years, the science on the side of the current social demands, many of which, paradoxically, are the result of the impact that technological and scientific advances have on the daily lives of people.