Computational Modelling of Biosensors with an Outer Perforated Membrane

Abstract. This paper presents one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) in-space mathematical models for amperometric biosensors with an outer perforated membrane. The biosensor action was modelled by reaction-diffusion equations with a nonlinear term representing the Michaelis-Menten kinetics of an enzymatic reaction. The conditions at which the 1-D model can be applied to simulate the biosensor response accurately were investigated numerically. The accuracy of the biosensor response simulated by using 1-D model was evaluated by the response simulated with the corresponding 2-D model. A procedure for a numerical evaluation of the effective diffusion coefficient to be used in 1-D model was proposed. The numerically calculated effective diffusion coefficient was compared with the corresponding coefficients derived analytically. The numerical simulation was carried out using the finite difference technique.