Optic sensors of enzymes with sensitive environment based on cholesterol liquid crystals

Optic properties of cholesterol liquid crystals promote their use as active elements of optic sensors for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of biological substances. The change of spectral characteristics of cholesterol liquid crystals occurs during contact with biological substances, which is the basis for detection, identification and diagnostics of biological objects. Spectral characteristics of liquid crystal substances based on cholesterol liquid crystal BLO-62 with admixture of nematic liquid crystal 5CB and their change on introduction of aqueous solutions of pepsin and trypsin have been investigated. Concentration of pepsin (6%) and trypsin (10%) in aqueous solutions and their content in liquid crystal medium has been optimized to achieve maximal value of spectral sensitivity coefficient. The optical converter was developed with cholestric liquid crystal as a sensitive element. For the enzymes investigation the structural scheme of the sensor device is developed and the peculiarities of the information signal formation are presented. The sensor operation algorithm is developed to measure different types of enzymes.