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Enzyme Based Biosensors Recent Advances and Applications in Healthcare 1st Edition Sanjukta Patra Debasree Kundu Manashjit Gogoi
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Sanjukta Patra
Debasree Kundu
Manashjit Gogoi Editors
Enzyme-based
Biosensors:
Recent Advances
and Applications
in Healthcare
Enzyme-based Biosensors: Recent Advances
and Applications in Healthcare
Sanjukta Patra • Debasree Kundu •
Manashjit Gogoi
Editors
Enzyme-based Biosensors:
Recent Advances
and Applications
in Healthcare
Editors
Sanjukta Patra Debasree Kundu
Department of Biosciences and Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering
Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati, Assam, India
Guwahati, Assam, India
Manashjit Gogoi
Biomedical Engineering Department
North Eastern Hill University
Shillong, Meghalaya, India
# The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore
Pte Ltd. 2023
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether
the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of
illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and
transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by
similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication
does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant
protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this
book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or
the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any
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claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721,
Singapore
Rapid development of science and technology in last few decades, the lifestyle of
mankind, and the environment have changed drastically. The changes in human
lifestyle and exposure to adverse environment are major causes of large number of
non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and
diabetes. CVDs, cancer, and diabetes are the leading non-communicable diseases
and responsible for deaths of large number of people globally. Whereas poor
hygiene, lack of resources like quality drinking water, food, and medicines to
increasing number of populations cause large numbers of infectious diseases.
Biosensors have been extensively used for disease detection, diagnosis, human
health monitoring, and health management. Enzymes are drawing tremendous
attention as biological recognition elements for the development of biosensors due
to their high selectivity and specificity towards their substrate. These biosensors help
in rapid diagnosis of different diseases and their management in places where access
to sophisticated instruments and facilities is limited. In short, biosensors can play a
vital role in healthcare management in rural area and resource-limited settings. This
book reviews the applications of different enzymatic biosensors in healthcare sector,
their challenges, and future scopes.
Chapter 1 focuses on the application of different enzymatic biosensors in
healthcare sector and how they are helping in managing different diseases. It also
gives an overview of existing commercial biosensors available in the market.
Chapter 2 reviews how different types of enzymes are entrapped/immobilised in
different biological matrices for maintaining their stability and reusability for poten-
tial biosensor applications.
Chapter 3 highlights different common cardiac biomarkers detecting different
cardiac ailments along with their clinical characteristics. The chapter also explains
the challenges and future perspectives of enzymatic biosensor platforms used for the
diagnosis of heart diseases.
Chapter 4 discusses the different types of enzyme-based biosensors based on the
type of transducer used and their applications in detecting some of the most prevalent
cancer types. The chapter also highlights the various challenges faced in the cancer
diagnostics and the future roadmap for improving the performances of biosensors.
v
vi Preface
First of all, the editors would like to thank almighty God for providing us with the
motivation and strength to complete this endeavour of editing this book.
The editors would like to sincerely thank Dr. Bhavik Sawhney, Editor, Biomedi-
cine, and all the board members from Springer Nature for their approval and for
granting us this opportunity to edit this book. We would like to express our sincere
gratitude to Ms. Vaishnavi Venkatesh, Project Coordinator (Books), Springer Nature
for constantly following up on the editing process and helping us to complete this
assignment.
The editors express their heartfelt gratitude to all the contributors of this book for
their contributions. Their contributions are sincerely appreciated and gratefully
acknowledged.
Prof. Sanjukta Patra expresses heartfelt thankfulness to little Paridhi. It is her
shared time which has brought this book in black and white. The motivation of her
husband Rajesh has made the completion possible. The support of her parents,
parents in law, and siblings has kept her moving ahead.
Dr. Debshree expresses her sincere gratitude to her husband and family members
for their constant support and motivation.
Dr. Manashjit Gogoi expresses his thankfulness to his beloved sons Aditya,
Atanu, wife Mayuri who sacrificed a lot and kept him inspired to finish this task.
He is also thankful to his sister-in-law Hewali, and his parents, brothers, and in-laws
for their constant support, unconditional love, and blessings.
vii
Contents
ix
x Contents
Contributors
Uchangi Satyaprasad Akshath Nitte University Centre for Science Education and
Research-NUCSER, Nitte University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Anna Anandita Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technol-
ogy, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
xi
xii Editors and Contributors
1.1 Introduction
By developing the oxygen electrode in 1956, Leland C. Clark, Jr. established himself
as the originator of the biosensor idea and ushered in a new era in the sensor
technology (Clark Jr 1956; Clark Jr and Lyons 1962). Glucose was trapped by a
dialysis membrane in the Clark oxygen electrode, and the proportionality between
the concentration of glucose and the decreasing oxygen concentration was
established. A lot of different enzymes were used in this study since it was so
successful at catalyzing many different variants utilizing the same basic design.
Since this groundbreaking study, the biosensor industry has expanded dramatically,
and enzyme biosensors in particular have become one of the most widely used in the
biomedical industry (Turner et al. 1987).
A biosensor device is small or compact and contains a biological or biologically
derived sensing element that is integrated or connected to a transducer. Biosensors
are of many types and characteristics which can be categorized based on the
biological elements and the transducers used (Mohanty and Kougianos 2006).
Typically, a biosensor can be electrochemical, optical, mechanical, piezoelectric,
calorimetric, etc. based on the use of type of transducer Another component of a
biosensor may be signal processing unit. An electrochemical transducer produces
out in the form of voltage, current, or resistance (Zhang et al. 2000). To interpret
these signals corresponding to the concentration of the analyte, a signal processing
unit is required to correctly process and display the value of concentration of the
analyte. Low-power consuming signal processing unit is specifically required when
it comes to implantable biosensor and point-of-care (POC) devices (Haider and
Islam 2010).
Enzymes are biological catalysts that react with molecules known as substrates
and convert them into products. Binding of enzymes to their substrate is necessary
for their activation for catalysis. They are very specific to the substrate and also to the
chemical reaction. This specific nature of enzymes to bind to their respective
substrate makes them useful in biosensing. In 1894, Emil Fischer proposed the
lock and key model explaining the geometric complimentary of enzymes and
substrates. This early model failed to explain the stabilization of enzyme during
the transition stage. In 1958, Daniel Koshland described the change in the active
sites due to the interaction of enzymes and substrates. Substrates don’t bind to the
active site of the enzyme, but the amino acids of the active site are molded to the
precise position to perform catalysis. In enzymatic biosensors, enzymes are used as a
biological component to detect analytes. In an enzymatic biosensor, the enzyme is
immobilized to the transducer surface to detect the analyte. Here the analyte can also
be a substrate of the enzyme. Immobilization techniques are directly related with the
performance of the biosensor and can change the accuracy, sensitivity, selectivity,
and even the stability of the biosensor.
The basic components of all biosensors are the biological sensing material and the
transducer with the option of a signal conditioner system. In the following section,
biosensors are categorized based on the use of different types of transducers and
discussed.
Optical biosensors use enzymes as the biological recognition element. Based on the
transduction mechanism, enzymatic optical biosensor can be categorized (Choi
2004) as absorptiometry, luminescence, chemiluminescence types, etc. Absorption
by reflection or transmission of light through a material is an absorptiometry type.
Luminescence type of transducer makes use of the luminescence property of
materials (Blum et al. 1989). With separate wavelength of excitation, a separate
longer emission could be achieved. Chemiluminescence makes use of the reaction of
the reagent and analyte to give an optically readable output. There are also other
optical enzymatic biosensors like the interferometry, surface plasmon resonance
(SPR), fiber optic, acoustic photometry, etc.
Enzyme immobilization in optical biosensors is done by either chemical or
physical method. Both approaches aim to maintain the enzymes on the solid
substrate and prevent solution washing. Adsorption on solid surfaces or polymeric
4 B. Daurai et al.
1.2.2.2 Chemiluminescence
The chemiluminescence feature of an optical biosensor causes the emission of light
as a result of the interaction between the reagent material and analyte (Choi 2004).
Enzyme-linked reactions can be used in enzyme-based chemiluminescent assays,
often combining an oxidase and a peroxidase. H2O2 is produced as a result of
processes that are catalyzed by oxidases. This peroxide may then be used to oxidize
a chemiluminescent reagent, primarily luminol, producing light that can be detected
by a light sensor. This method has been used in the determination of glucose,
cholesterol, and lactate with the appropriate oxidase and dehydrogenase enzyme
for the analytes (Kuswandi et al. 2001).
to the mass of that material. The frequency may increase or decrease with the
increase or decrease in the mass of the material. Its application in healthcare has
been recently under research. Because it is label-free, the cost of a biosensor can be
reduced.
Enzymes are biological catalysts that have extensively been utilized in industries, for
example, food and beverage industry, brewery production, and cleaning agents, to
regulate as well as speed reactions to rapidly and accurately produce different
necessary products (Godfrey and Reichelt 1982; Polaina and MacCabe 2007).
Additionally, enzymes are frequently used in laboratories, such as stereospecific
bioconversion, recycling trash into useful goods or eco-friendly replacements, etc.
(Bershtein and Tawfik 2008). There are many metabolic illnesses that are caused by
abnormalities in the enzyme metabolic system. Researchers from all around the
world have focused on the increasingly clinical uses of enzymes including acid
phosphatase, alkaline phosphate, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, cre-
atine kinase, lipase, alpha-amylase, protease, lactate dehydrogenase, etc. (Patel
1995). Enzymes have already been used for the detection of diseases related to the
heart, kidneys, and liver, autoimmune disease, cancer, mental illness like
schizophrenia, etc.
“Diagnostic enzymes” is the term used for the enzymes of the human body that
are medically used for the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases (Singh et al. 2019).
Enzymes are used in diagnostics because of the high selectivity of the enzyme as a
substrate. Enzyme activities are very specific to the action of the reaction, for
example, in the hydrolysis of sugar by amylase which can help in the determination
of glucose level in detection of diseases like diabetes. Depending on the degree of
the condition, a sick state often results in tissue destruction. When this occurs,
disease-specific enzymes with increased enzyme activity are released into the blood-
stream. These increased levels of enzymes in the body fluids like blood, urine, and
saliva can be determined and can be correlated with a specific disease. In the
following section, application of enzymes as biomarkers for diagnosis of some
major diseases is discussed.
Cardiovascular diseases are often linked to atherosclerosis, where plaque made of fat
is accumulated in the arteries. Narrowing down of the blood vessels leads to
hypertension, heart block, heart attack, peripheral artery disorders, etc. Some of
the contributing factors for these diseases are obesity, stress, inactivity, food habit,
hereditary, and even poor mental health like depression.
Creatine kinase (CK; E.C. 2.7.3.2) catalyzes the production of adenine triphos-
phate from adenine diphosphate and creatinine phosphate. Three isoforms of CK are
6 B. Daurai et al.
CK-MM, CK-MB, and CK-BB. CK-MB are the most precise and specific
biomarkers for the detection of myocardial infarction (Panteghini 1988; Apple
1989). A normal level of CK in an adult human male is between 0.038 and
0.174 U/mL, whereas in adult human female, the normal level of CK is between
0.026 and 0.14 U/mL. Myocardial infarction, muscular dystrophy, and inflammatory
responses cause CK levels to go as high as 2 U/mL in the blood serum, which aids in
the early prognosis of illness states (Vainzof et al. 1985).
Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) (EC 2.4.1.1), an important part of carbohydrate
metabolism, is played by the glycolytic enzyme GP, which mobilizes glycogen. GP
is found in three separate physiologically distinct isoforms, GPMM, GPLL, and
GPBB (Krause et al. 1996). GPBB acts as an identifier or marker for the detection of
acute myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, and even pregnancy and
preterm preeclampsia (Stejskal et al. 2007; Singh et al. 2018).
Gelatinases catalyze the breakdown of gelatin to create polypeptides, peptides,
and amino acids. The two isoforms, gelatinase A (EC 3.4.24.24) and gelatinase B
(EC 3.4.24.35), both have been used as biomarkers for the prediction and early
detection of heart disease like heart blockages and acute myocardial infarction
(Gopcevic et al. 2017). Other than heart disease, gelatinase has also been used as a
marker for detecting acute kidney damage and myocardial fibrosis when combined
with lipocalin (Gyöngyösi et al. 2017; Bulluck et al. 2018).
A digestive enzyme called salivary amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) is also reported as
biomarker for heart failure and psychological stress. When detected in urine, amy-
lase has also been found to be a helpful biomarker for renal disease (Strahler et al.
2010; Suska et al. 2012; Żyłka et al. 2016).
Several enzymes are released into the blood circulation when it is under stress or
injured because of hepatitis virus, fatty liver, alcohol abuse, and other certain drugs,
and measuring the amount of these enzyme catalysts helps in detection of the specific
diseases (Adams et al. 2005; Calvaruso and Craxì 2009). A few major enzymes that
aid in the identification of liver conditions and diseases are discussed in the follow-
ing section.
Aminotransferases (transaminases) convert amino acids to oxoacids by transfer-
ring amino groups. The two clinically significant enzymes included in the
aminotransferases group are alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate amino-
transferase (AST) (Huang et al. 2006). The ALT concentration range in an adult
person is between 5 and 35 U/L, and anything over this range denotes liver, heart,
and muscle damage or illness. Detection or determination is done using chromatog-
raphy, calorimetry, or spectrophotometry techniques, but recently researchers have
come up with affordable paper-based analytical devices (PADs) and POC biosensors
(Bacon 2002; Huang et al. 2006; Kang et al. 2011). The normal level of aspartate
aminotransferase (AST) (EC 2.6.1.1) in healthy human adults range from 5 to 40 U/
L (Kaplan 2002; Prati et al. 2002; Huang et al. 2006). However, with significant
1 Enzymatic Biosensors for Healthcare Applications 7
injury, the level of AST may increase to as high as 20 times over the normal level.
Many other organs, tissues, and cells like the muscle fiber, blood, kidney, and
pancreas also contain AST. It can be used to track cardiac, hepatic parenchymal,
and muscular disorders in both people and animals by combining the results with
other enzymes. When an imaging method like ultrasonography or ultrasound
elastography is not available, the AST-to-platelet ratio index may be a helpful
measure to check for liver fibrosis which is a common condition in hepatitis B
(Lesmana et al. 2011).
Alkaline phosphate (ALP) (EC 3.1.3.1) is a biocatalyst in the hydrolysis of
phosphate ester bonds in an alkaline environment (Corathers 2006; Sharma et al.
2014). ALP is a helpful indicator of liver illness, especially cholestatic conditions
when there is a blockage in the bile duct, which are seen in obstructive jaundice
(Frey et al. 1990; Fargo et al. 2017).
Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (EC 2.3.2.2), which aids in the transporta-
tion of proteins and amino acids and also in breaking them down is present in all
human cells (Kunutsor 2016). Mostly found in the liver, kidney, and pancreas, GGT
in serum is produced in the liver. GGT is considered a biomarker for hepatobiliary
disease. GGT is moderately elevated because of toxic or infectious hepatitis (two to
five times) (Huber et al. 2004). GGT rises 5–30 times the normal in serum when the
intrahepatic biliary is obstructed. Other diseases and conditions like pancreatitis,
rheumatoid arthritis, alcohol abuse, muscular dystrophy, and pulmonary disease
show increase in serum GGT. GGT-to-platelet ratio index also determines liver
fibrosis in the absence of ultrasound elastography. In few researches, GGT is also
used as a biomarker for nephrotoxicity (Hu et al. 2017).
Creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, cystatin C, and uric acid are some of the common
biomarkers of kidney diseases. All of them are not enzymes but take part in an
enzymatic reaction making them feasible for an enzymatic biosensor. Salivary
enzymes have also been used to determine neurological disorders and stress levels
(Nater et al. 2006). There are many diseases where enzymes can be used as
biomarkers. Pancreatic alpha-amylase and lipase are enzymes that catalyze the
hydrolysis of starch and triglycerides, respectively. Alpha-amylase increases three
to five times in the initial days and returns back to normal, but lipase stays elevated
for a longer time. According to the American Board of Internal Medicine, the normal
range of serum alpha-amylase is 25–125 U/L and serum lipase is 10–140 U/L.
Glucose-6-phosphatase has also been used as a biomarker for hypoglycemia
(Froissart et al. 2011). The use of acid phosphatase as a biomarker in serum was
reported by Devi et al. (2017).
The most researched biosensors right now are enzymatic ones, and these research
articles demonstrate several innovative developments as have been discussed below:
A multiplexed assay using giant magnetoresistive (GMR) biosensor for early detec-
tion of cirrhosis was developed by using cirrhotic protein biomarkers intercellular
adhesion molecule-1 and mac-2 (Ng et al. 2020). In another study, a surface-
enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based biosensor was developed for detection
of liver diseases serologically by integrating convolutional neural network (CNN)
classifier with gold-silver (Au-Ag) nanocomplex-decorated zinc oxide (ZnO)
nanopillars on paper (Cheng et al. 2021). Similarly, an enzymatic biosensor for
detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using serum biomarker alpha-
fetoprotein (AFP) had been developed for early diagnosis of liver disease (Attia
et al. 2022).
Table 1.1 Recent advancements in cardiac biosensors, including technological approaches used in their operation, healthcare applications, benefits, and
drawbacks
Biosensor Technical strategy Mechanism Applications Limitations Advantages References
Aptamer-based Label-free detection Detection based on Cardiovascular Low binding Reagent less Qureshi et al.
capacitive based on charge distribution of disease affinity processing (2010a, b)
biosensor non-faradaic CRP
impedance
spectroscopy
Neutrophil Measurement-based Immobilizing Cardiovascular Detects up to the only Point-of-care Gonzalez
gelatinase- on electrochemical monoclonal disease certain level of diluted biosensor and La Belle
associated impedance antibodies (against concentration (2012)
lipocalin spectroscopy (EIS) NGAL) onto gold
(NGAL) disk electrodes
detection
biosensor
Single site- Microfluidic Detection of the Cardiovascular Low-cost efficiency Good specificity with Lee et al.
specific channels integrated b-type natriuretic disease ultrahigh sensitivity (2012)
Enzymatic Biosensors for Healthcare Applications
(continued)
Table 1.1 (continued)
12
using modified electrode surface coated in a layer of CS and glucose oxidase inside a
produced glass carbon electrode covered with Au nanoparticles and CNTs for
detection of glucose (Haghighi et al. 2011).
Similarly, in a study, a Nafion film-wrapped electrode was taken in a glass carbon
electrode modified with CNTs. Glucose oxidase and palladium (Pd) nanoparticles
were placed on the surface of the modified electrode. The electrochemiluminescence
technique was employed to ascertain the glucose content in them (Haghighi and
Bozorgzadeh 2011). Another biosensor containing a solution of glucose oxidase, Au
nanoparticles, CNTs, and Nafion film applied to CNTs was developed to measure
glucose. It was prepared on graphite supports (5 × 5 × 30 mm) disseminated in a
solution of ethanol-Nafion (Zargoosh et al. 2012).
A glucose biosensor based on microarray plates doped with sol film using the
fluorescence intensity was developed with rubidium (Rb) fluorophores. The glucose
levels were determined as glucose oxidase might be found in the silica sol-gel
(Chang et al. 2010). In another study, a glucose biosensor was developed using a
hydrogel carrying a sol-gel matrix with glucose oxidase substrate that was
immobilized to the egg membrane with coordination polymers made of crystalline
iridium (Ir). The glucose levels were estimated using the phosphorescence technique
(Ho et al. 2014).
Zhang et al. developed a piezoelectric biosensor for real-time monitoring blood
glucose level for the prophylaxis and treatment of diabetes using a flexible self-
powered implantable skin-like glucometer. It is based on the piezo-enzymatic-
reaction coupling effect of GOx@ZnO nanowire arrays. This device converts the
mechanical energy to piezoelectric impulse for determination of blood glucose
concentration (Zhang et al. 2018). In another study of piezoelectric biosensor, a
quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor for detection of hemoglobin A1c
(HbA1c) was developed. The variations in resonance frequency of QCM allow for
the quantitative measurement of HbA1c. The HbA1c LOD with respect to hemoglo-
bin is 0.147%. This biosensor aids in the creation of beneficial HbA1c sensing
devices (Park and Lee 2018) (Fig. 1.1).
The features of the abovementioned enzymatic glucose biosensors are
summarized in Table 1.2. Enzymatic glucose sensors are typically electrochemical
and optical transducers. Electrochemical transducers were employed more com-
monly in the past due to their great sensitivity, durability, simplicity of instrumenta-
tion, cheap cost, remarkable compatibility, and possibility for downsizing. Because
the immobilization of the enzyme to the electrode in electrochemical transducers
runs the risk of losing enzymatic function, optical transducers are growing in
popularity (Mathew and Sandhyarani 2013).
Fig. 1.1 The custom-made fluidic modules for QCM biosensor (Park and Lee 2018)
pH 6–8 and 37 °C, the circuitry demonstrated a linear relationship between urea and
creatinine at the ranges of 0–200 and 0–20 mM, respectively (PD) (Fig. 1.2).
Oleg Palygin et al. (2015) used two different sensor designs for ex vivo and
in vivo protocols for creation of enzymatic microelectrode biosensors to measure
endogenous ATP or H2O2 in the kidney. These protocols involved the detection of
analyte by oxidation of H2O2 on a platinum/iridium (Pt-Ir) wire electrode and for
reduction of H2O2 on a mediator-coated Au electrode, respectively. After calibration
to known analyte concentrations, real-time amperometry is utilized to identify
changes in the final concentration (Fig. 1.3).
Pallavi Dasgupta et al. (2020) developed a practical point-of-care (POC) device
using electrochemical biosensor that uses screen-printed electrodes for estimation of
highly selective creatinine over the range of 0.2–4 mg/dL in a sample volume of
300 L without pre-processing. Creatinine is converted via a mono-enzymatic path-
way to 1-methylhydantoin, whose concentration is measured by forming a complex
with cobalt. This complex is validated via optical spectroscopy (Fig. 1.4).
As it was already discussed, several innovative biosensors have been developed
that may be used with a variety of physiological fluids that are frequently easy to get,
can be miniaturized, and are particularly tempting for the POC market for patients
with chronic kidney disease (CKD). For measuring the signs of renal disease, there
are already portable and handheld POC equipment on the market. Examples of
products that use enzymatic processes to detect creatinine electrochemically include
StatSensor (Nova Biomedical, Waltham, MA, USA) and i-STAT (crea-cartridge,
16 B. Daurai et al.
Fig. 1.2 Block diagram of the sensor system (Premanode and Toumazou 2007)
Fig. 1.3 Diagram of the biosensor’s protocol system (Palygin et al. 2015)
Abbott Point of Care Inc., Princeton, NJ, USA). The StatSensor is a simple device
with significant potential that can quantify creatinine from a finger-prick sample, in
contrast to the i-STAT device which has a volume requirement of 100 L and makes
finger-prick sampling difficult. Despite these encouraging developments, POC sens-
ing technology development remains difficult, necessitating substantial further
research efforts. Notably, interaction with a number of the substances present in
bodily fluids, including ascorbic acid, glucose, fructose, and ketone bodies, may
have an impact on the measurement’s accuracy. Even when dealing with a complex
1 Enzymatic Biosensors for Healthcare Applications 19
Fig. 1.4 Serum creatinine electrochemical biosensor schematic (Dasgupta et al. 2020)
matrix like whole blood, conflicting reactions and signals may be reduced by using
antibody-based sensors rather than enzymatic ones.
Biosensors for neurological disease (ND) serve two purposes: they may be utilized
to find new biomarkers and to be used as diagnostic instruments. These sensors
include a wide variety of technologies, from experimental proofs of concept to
commercially available kits. These sensors have detection efficiencies that are on
par with or beyond those of the traditional test. Multistep immunoassays are a
common part of the processes employed in clinical labs nowadays to diagnose
ND. Due to the immunoassay’s reliance on antibody-antigen (Ab-Ag) interaction,
these tests are easily adapted for use in biosensor, including Roche Diagnostics’
portable therapeutic drug monitor and Biacore® SPR (surface plasmon resonance).
With the use of microarrays from firms like Affymetrix®, Agilent (gene-based), and
Ciphergen, extensive biomarker discovery is now taking place (protein based).
There are also studies on detection of neurological diseases but gene- and
DNA-based biosensors have more commercial presence. Table 1.3 depicts a quick
list of biosensor firms and platforms available commercially. Due to their prevalence
in the diagnostic society, description of these biosensors is focused in this chapter.
20 B. Daurai et al.
Since their introduction into the medical industry, biosensors have seen significant
advancement. However, technology constantly leaves behind certain options that
require additional study and development. Recognizing tiny molecules, improving
sensitivity and selectivity in detecting various analytes, cross-linking, and
immobilizing bioreceptors on the substrate are the key problems. Multiple
biomarkers must be detected simultaneously using a single device in order to
diagnose PCs (Shergujri et al. 2019). Microfluidics and biomarkers’ pattern software
can be combined in the near future to create promising devices for use in this field
(Tothill 2009). Biosensor sensitivity amplification has been a significant problem.
22 B. Daurai et al.
There are various methods for increasing sensitivity. To increase the sensitivity of
these devices, nanorods with high aspect ratios are chosen over spherical
nanoparticles. Observing protein and protein interactions is more difficult than
observing nucleic acid interactions since new amplification tools are not yet accessi-
ble. This situation is further enhanced by the complex interaction of the proteins and
their increased nonspecific binding to solid supports. Consequently, it is anticipated
that the potential for protein-nanoparticle hybrids would be completely promoted by
nanoparticles that include mixed monolayers (Wang 2005).
Most sensors require calibration prior to each usage as well as incubation in
buffer solutions. Some sensors have a maximum concentration at which they can
detect an analyte. This component is also influenced by the biosensor’s stability.
Because bioreceptors are sensitive to variations in temperature, pressure, and pH
value, long-term preservation and use of bioreceptors is a significant difficulty. Any
modifications to the regular surroundings could cause the senses to become less
sensitive. As the environmental circumstances change over time, biosensors with a
higher stability range are considerably more favored. The stability of the biosensors
in a changing environment is currently a significant challenge. Biosensors have been
needed to detect numerous analytes for specificity in some cases. Multiple analytes
may be required for the validation of some specific malignant cells. Therefore, it is
necessary to build a dual-sensing capability in order to increase the biosensor’s
specificity (Liu et al. 2017).
Due to their immense potential in both research and commercial applications,
biosensors are quickly becoming a necessity in today’s society. Reduction in cost
and detectability of a variety of analytes are the advantages that can be achieved by
combination of microfluidic technology and 3D printing. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), biosensor devices should be affordable, sensitive,
specific, quick, dependable, equipment-free, and easily distributable (Ding et al.
2015).
Enzymatic biosensors can be specialized for detection and diagnosis of diseases
for treatment and lifesaving procedures (Sarkar et al. 2022). Despite the benefits of
utilizing enzymes, several drawbacks, such as the enzyme’s quick loss of activity as
a result of interactions with the electrode surface, result in a biosensor’s lifetime of
only 2–4 weeks. However, this can be avoided if the enzyme is properly stabilized
by selecting an appropriate matrix and a better method to immobilize the enzyme.
1.6 Conclusion
Acknowledgments We sincerely acknowledge the generous funding received from the Depart-
ment of Biotechnology, India (No. BT/PR24652/NER/95/795/2017; Dated: 06/03/2019), sanction
to Dr. Manashjit Gogoi for carrying out this piece of work.
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1 Enzymatic Biosensors for Healthcare Applications 27
2.1 Introduction
Fig. 2.1 Different types of enzyme immobilization techniques. (Reprinted with permission from
Sirisha et al. (2016), Advances in Food and Nutrition Research 79 (2016))
agriculture, etc. (Angela Leung et al. 2007; Kalyani et al. 2020; Zhang et al. 2018)
due to their high specificity, high sensitivity, rapid response, and low cost (Amine
et al. 2006).
There are several ways to immobilize enzyme on the substrate, namely, adsorp-
tion, covalent bonding, entrapment, and ionic binding (Cordeiro et al. 2011).
Adsorption method involves hydrophobic interaction, whereas covalent binding
involves the formation of covalent bonds between the matrix and side chain amino
acids (such as arginine, aspartic acid, etc.) (Hsieh et al. 2000; Fu et al. 2011).
Entrapment method involves binding of the enzyme to the polymeric network
using covalent or non-covalent bonds, in which the enzymes are bound with water
as shown in Fig. 2.1 (Foulds and Lowe 1986). The water-soluble matrices such as
polysaccharide derivatives, glass, synthetic polymers, etc. are used for immobiliza-
tion of enzymes using adsorption methods (Wu and Lia 2008; Rosa et al. 2002).
Different types of entrapment techniques such as gel entrapment, microencapsula-
tion, and fiber entrapment are used for enzyme immobilization (Dinelli 1972;
Wadiack and Carbonell 1975).
2 Choice of Enzyme Immobilization Matrices Used in Biosensor for. . . 33
1. The enzyme should be operational under various conditions and the matrix
should have mechanical and thermal resistance.
2. The selected matrix should enhance the enzyme specificity (Magner 2013).
3. Pore diameter should be of the appropriate range, because if pore size is large,
then surface area will decrease and if pore size is small, the protein will be
excluded (Hartmann and Kostrov 2013; Tran and Balkus 2011).
4. The matrix after immobilization should behave inertly and not interfere in any
reaction.
5. The matrix should be stable and highly regenerable.
6. The hydrophobicity of the matrix should be minimized so that the protein is
prevented from denaturing (Zhou and Hartmann 2012; Rodrigues et al. 2013).
7. The support matrix should have antimicrobial properties.
CNC/AuNP matrix for enzyme immobilization was prepared using the following
two steps by Mahmoud et al. (2009). At first, CNCs were prepared by grounding flax
fibers with a 20-mesh screen to obtain 0.85 mm fiber size followed by mixing of flax
fibers (5 g) in 20 mL acid solution. Later, H2O2 (10 mL) was added dropwise on the
prepared mixture. The solution temperature was cooled till 45 °C for 3 h followed by
dilution with deionized water (DI) and centrifuging (10,000 rpm) to achieve a pH 6.
Firstly, the prepared CNC resin was mixed with ion-exchange resin, namely,
DOWEX MR-3 for 2 days, and removed using filtration (Whatman 541) followed
by sonication for 35 min. Secondly, gold(III) chloride trihydrate (HAuCl43H2O,
10 mM) and R-CD were added to CNC (23 mg/mL) along with sodium borohydride
(0.1 M, 20 μL) till a reddish color of AuNPs/CNCs is obtained. The solution was
centrifuged (10,000 rpm) and washed three times to remove unbound AuNPs. The
resulting AuNP/CNC colloid was incubated in an ethanol solution (0.05 M) of
thioctic acid (Thc) for 24 h. The CNC/AuNP (0.5 mL, 6 mg) was mixed with
CGTase enzyme (7–8 mg/mL) in a 0.1 M phosphate buffer (0.5 M NaCl at
pH 7.2) followed by centrifuging to get a supernatants. The enzyme loading capacity
of the nanocomposite was found to be 220 mg/g of AuNPs/CNCs. The maximum
CGTase binding activity was leveled at 50,000 U/g of AuNPs/CNCs.
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“Then that devil found out about it! For he was a devil, Mr.
Sheringham,” Mrs. Plant said, looking at Roger with wide eyes, in
which traces of horror still lingered. “I could never have imagined that
anyone could be so absolutely inhuman. Oh! It was hell!” She
shuddered involuntarily.
“He demanded money, of course,” she went on after a minute in
a calmer voice; “and I paid him every penny I could. You must
understand that I was willing to face any sacrifice rather than that my
husband should be told. The other night I had to tell him that I had no
more money left. I lied when I told you what time I went into the
library. He stopped me in the hall to tell me that he wanted to see me
there at half-past twelve. That would be when everyone else was in
bed, you see. Mr. Stanworth always preserved the greatest secrecy
about these meetings.”
“And you went at half-past twelve?” Roger prompted
sympathetically.
“Yes, taking my jewels with me. I told him that I had no more
money. He wasn’t angry. He never was. Just cold and sneering and
horrible. He said he’d take the jewels for that time, but I must bring
him the money he wanted—two hundred and fifty pounds—in three
months’ time.”
“But how could you, if you hadn’t got it?”
Mrs. Plant was silent. Then gazing unseeingly at the rose bed, as
if living over again that tragic interview, she said in a curiously
toneless voice, “He said that a pretty woman like me could always
obtain money if it was necessary. He said he would introduce me to
a man out of whom I—I could get it, if I played my cards properly. He
said if I wasn’t ready with the two hundred and fifty pounds within
three months he would tell my husband everything.”
“My God!” said Roger softly, appalled.
Mrs. Plant looked him suddenly straight in the face.
“That will show you what sort of a man Mr. Stanworth was, if you
didn’t know,” she said quietly.
“I didn’t,” Roger answered. “This explains a good deal,” he added
to himself. “And then, I suppose, Jefferson came in?”
“Major Jefferson?” Mrs. Plant repeated, in unmistakable
astonishment.
“Yes. Wasn’t that when he came in?”
Mrs. Plant stared at him in amazement.
“But Major Jefferson never came in at all!” she exclaimed. “What
ever makes you think that?”
It was Roger’s turn to be astonished.
“Do I understand you to say that Jefferson never came in at all
while you were in the library with Stanworth?” he asked.
“Good gracious, no,” Mrs. Plant replied emphatically. “I should
hope not! Why ever should he?”
“I—I don’t really know,” Roger said lamely. “I thought he did. I
must have been mistaken.” In spite of the unexpectedness of her
denial, he was convinced that Mrs. Plant was telling the truth; her
surprise was far too genuine to have been assumed. “Well, what
happened?”
“Nothing. I—I implored him not to be so hard and to be content
with what I had paid him and give me back the evidence he’d got,
but——”
“Where did he keep the evidence, by the way? In the safe?”
“Yes. He always carried the safe about with him. It was supposed
to be burglar-proof.”
“Was it open while you were there?”
“He opened it to put my jewels in before I went.”
“And did he leave it open, or did he lock it up again?”
“He locked it before I left the room.”
“I see. When would that be?”
“Oh, past one o’clock, I should say. I didn’t notice the time very
particularly. I was feeling too upset.”
“Naturally. And nothing of any importance occurred between his
—his ultimatum and your departure upstairs?”
“No. He refused to give way an inch, and at last I left off trying to
persuade him and went up to bed. That is all.”
“And nobody else came in at all? Not a sign of anybody else?”
“No; nobody.”
“Humph!” said Roger thoughtfully. This was decidedly
disappointing; yet somehow it was impossible to disbelieve Mrs.
Plant’s story. Still, Jefferson might have come in later, having heard
something of what had taken place from outside the room. At any
rate, it appeared that Mrs. Plant herself could have had no hand in
the actual murder, whatever provocation she might have received.
He decided to sound her a little farther.
“In view of what you’ve told me, Mrs. Plant,” he remarked rather
more casually, “it seems very extraordinary that Stanworth should
have committed suicide, doesn’t it? Can you account for it in any
way?”
“No, I certainly can’t. It’s inexplicable to me. But, Mr. Sheringham,
I am so thankful! No wonder I fainted when you told us after
breakfast. I suddenly felt as if I had been let out of prison. Oh, that
dreadful, terrible feeling of being in that man’s power! You can’t
imagine it; or what an overwhelming relief it was to hear of his
death.”
“Indeed I can, Mrs. Plant,” Roger said with intense sympathy. “In
fact, what surprises me is that nobody should ever have killed him
before this.”
“Do you imagine that people never thought of that?” Mrs. Plant
retorted passionately. “I did myself. Hundreds of times! But what
would have been the use? Do you know what he did—in my case, at
any rate, and so in everyone else’s, I suppose? He kept the
documentary evidence against me in a sealed envelope addressed
to my husband! He knew that if ever he met with a violent death the
safe would be opened by the police, you see; and in that case they
would take charge of the envelope, and presumably many other
similar ones, and forward them all to their destinations. Just imagine
that! Naturally nobody dared kill him; it would only make things
worse than before. He used to gloat over it to me. Besides, he had
always a loaded revolver in his hand when he opened the safe, in
my presence at any rate. I can tell you, he took no chances. Oh, Mr.
Sheringham, that man was a fiend! Whatever can have induced him
to take his own life, I can’t conceive; but believe me, I shall thank
God for it on my bended knees every night as long as I live!”
She sat biting her lip and breathing heavily in the intensity of her
feelings.
“But if you knew the evidence was kept in the safe, why weren’t
you frightened when it was being opened by the inspector?” Roger
asked curiously. “I remember glancing at you, and you certainly
didn’t seem to be in the least perturbed about it.”
“Oh, that was after I’d had his letter, you see,” Mrs. Plant
explained readily. “I was before, of course; terribly frightened. But not
afterwards, though it did seem almost too good to be true. Hullo! isn’t
that the lunch bell? We had better be going indoors, hadn’t we? I
think I have told you all you can want to know.” She rose to her feet
and turned towards the house.
Roger fell into step with her.
“Letter?” he said eagerly. “What letter?”
Mrs. Plant glanced at him in surprise. “Oh, don’t you know about
that? I thought you must do, as you seemed to know everything.
Yes, I got a letter from him saying that for certain private reasons he
had decided to take his own life, and that before doing so he wished
to inform me that I need have no fears about anything, as he had
burnt the evidence he held against me. You can imagine what a
relief it was!”
“Jumping Moses!” Roger exclaimed blankly. “That appears to
bash me somewhat sideways!”
“What did you say, Mr. Sheringham?” asked Mrs. Plant curiously.
Roger’s dazed and slightly incoherent reply is not recorded.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Mr. Sheringham is Disconcerted
Roger sat through the first part of lunch in a species of minor
trance. It was not until the necessity for consuming a large plateful of
prunes and tapioca pudding, the two things besides Jews that he
detested most in the world, began to impress itself upon his
consciousness, that the power of connected thought returned to him.
Mrs. Plant’s revelation appeared temporarily to have numbed his
brain. The one thing which remained dazzlingly clear to him was that
if Stanworth had written a letter announcing his impending suicide,
then Stanworth could not after all have been murdered; and the
whole imposing structure which he, Roger, had erected, crumbled
away into the sand upon which it had been founded. It was a
disturbing reflection for one so blithely certain of himself as Roger.
As soon as lunch was over and the discussion regarding trains
and the like at an end, he hurried Alec upstairs to his bedroom to talk
the matter over. It is true that Roger felt a certain reluctance to be
compelled thus to acknowledge that he had been busily unearthing
nothing but a mare’s nest; but, on the other hand, Alec must know
sooner or later, and at that moment the one vital necessity from
Roger’s point of view was to talk. In fact, the pent-up floods of talk in
Roger’s bosom that were striving for exit had been causing him
something very nearly approaching physical pain during the last few
minutes.
“Alexander!” he exclaimed dramatically as soon as the door was
safely shut. “Alexander, the game is up!”
“What do you mean?” Alec asked in surprise. “Have the police
got on the trail now?”
“Worse than that. Far worse! It appears that old Stanworth was
never murdered at all! He did commit suicide, after all.”
Alec sat down heavily in the nearest chair. “Good Lord!” he
exclaimed limply. “But what on earth makes you think that? I thought
you were so convinced that it was murder.”
“So I was,” Roger said, leaning against the dressing table. “That’s
what makes it all the more extraordinary, because I really am very
seldom wrong. I say it in all modesty, but the fact is indisputable. By
all the laws of average, Stanworth ought to have been murdered. It
really is most inexplicable.”
“But how do you know he wasn’t?” Alec demanded. “What’s
happened since I saw you last to make you alter your mind like this?”
“The simple fact that Mrs. Plant received a note from old
Stanworth, saying that he was going to kill himself for private
reasons of his own or something.”
“Oh!”
“I can tell you, it knocked me upside down for the minute.
Anything more unexpected I couldn’t have imagined. And the trouble
is that I don’t see how we can possibly get round it. A note like that is
a very different matter to that statement.”
“You know, I’m not sure that I’m altogether surprised that
something like this has turned up,” Alec said slowly. “I was never
quite so convinced by the murder idea as you were. After all, when
you come to look at all the facts of the case, although they certainly
seemed to be consistent with murder, were no less consistent with
suicide, weren’t they?”
“So it appears,” Roger said regretfully.
“It was simply that you’d got the notion of murder into your head
—more picturesque, I suppose—and everything had to be construed
to fit it, eh?”
“I suppose so.”
“In fact,” Alec concluded wisely, “it was an idée fixe, and
everything else was sacrificed to it. Isn’t that right?”
“Alexander, you put me to shame,” Roger murmured.
“Well, anyhow, that shows you what comes of muddling in other
people’s affairs,” Alec pointed out severely. “And it’s lucky you hit on
the truth before you made a still bigger idiot of yourself.”
“I deserve it all, I know,” Roger remarked contritely to his hair-
brush.
It was Alec’s turn to be complacent now, and he was taking full
advantage of it. As he lay back leisurely in his chair and smoked
away placidly, he presented a perfect picture of “I told you so!” Roger
contemplated him in rueful silence.
“And yet——!” he murmured tentatively, after a few moments’
silence.
Alec waved an admonitory pipe.
“Now, then!” he said warningly.
Roger exploded suddenly. “Well, say what you like, Alec,” he
burst out, “but the thing is dashed queer! You can’t get away from it.
After all, our inquiries haven’t resulted in nothing, have they? We did
establish the fact that Stanworth was a blackmailer. I forgot to tell
you that, by the way. We were perfectly right; he had been
blackmailing Mrs. Plant, the swine, and jolly badly, too. Incidentally,
she hadn’t the least idea that his death might be anything else than
suicide, and Jefferson didn’t come into the library while she was
there; so I was wrong in that particular detail. I’m satisfied she was
telling the truth, too. But as for the rest—well, I’m dashed if I know
what to think! The more I consider it, the more difficult I find it to
believe that it was suicide, after all, and that all those other facts
could have been nothing but mere coincidences. It isn’t reasonable.”
“Yes, that’s all very well,” Alec said sagely. “But when a fellow
actually goes out of his way to write a letter saying that——”
“By Jove, Alec!” Roger interrupted excitedly. “You’ve given me an
idea. Did he write it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why, mightn’t it have been typed? I haven’t seen the thing yet,
you know, and when she mentioned a letter it never occurred to me
that it might not be a hand-written one. If it was typed, then there’s
still a chance.” He walked rapidly towards the door.
“Where are you going to now?” Alec asked in surprise.
“To see if I can get a look at this blessed letter,” Roger said,
turning the handle. “Mrs. Plant’s room is down this passage, isn’t it?”
With a quick glance up and down the passage, Roger hurried
along to Mrs. Plant’s bedroom and tapped on the door.
“Come in,” said a voice inside.
“It’s me, Mrs. Plant,” he replied softly. “Mr. Sheringham. Can I
speak to you a minute?”
There came the sound of rapid footsteps crossing the floor and
Mrs. Plant’s head appeared at the door.
“Yes?” she asked, not without a certain apprehension. “What is it,
Mr. Sheringham?”
“You remember that letter you mentioned this morning? From Mr.
Stanworth, I mean. Have you still got it, by any chance, or have you
destroyed it?”
He held his breath for her reply.
“Oh, no. Of course I destroyed it at once. Why?”
“Oh, I just wanted to test an idea. Let me see.” He thought
rapidly. “It was pushed under your door or something, I suppose?”
“Oh, no. It came by post.”
“Did it?” said Roger eagerly. “You didn’t notice the postmark, did
you?”
“As a matter of fact I did. It seemed so funny that he should have
taken the trouble to post it. It was posted from the village by the
eight-thirty post that morning.”
“The village, was it? Oh! And was it typewritten?”
“Yes.”
Roger held his breath again. “Was the signature written or
typewritten?”
Mrs. Plant considered.
“It was typewritten, as far as I remember.”
“Are you sure of that?” Roger asked eagerly.
“Ye-es, I think so. Oh, yes; I remember now. The whole thing was
typewritten, signature and all.”
“Thank you very much, Mrs. Plant,” Roger said gratefully. “That’s
all I wanted to know.”
He sped back to his own room.
“Alexander!” he exclaimed dramatically, as soon as he was
inside. “Alexander, the game is on again!”
“What’s up now?” Alec asked with a slight frown.
“That letter sounds like a fake, just the same as the confession. It
was all typewritten, even the signature, and it was posted from the
village. Can you imagine a man in his sane senses deliberately
going down to the village to post his letter, when all he had to do was
to push it under her door?”
“He might have had others to post as well,” Alec hazarded,
blowing out a great cloud of smoke. “Would Mrs. Plant’s be the only
one?”
“H’m! I never thought of that. Yes, he would. But still, it’s rather
unlikely that he should have posted hers as well, I should say. By the
way, it was that letter which accounted for her change of attitude
before lunch. She knew then that she had nothing to fear from the
opening of the safe, you see.”
“Well, how do matters stand now?”
“Exactly as they did before. I don’t see that this really affects it
either way. It’s only another instance of the murderer’s cunning. Mrs.
Plant, and possibly, as you say, one or two others, might raise
awkward questions at Stanworth’s sudden death; therefore their
apprehensions must be allayed. All that it really does as far as we
are concerned, is to confirm the idea that the murderer must have a
very intimate knowledge of Stanworth’s private affairs. Of course it
shows that the safe was opened that night, and it brings our old
friends, the ashes in the hearth, into prominence once more as being
in all probability the remains of the blackmailer’s evidence. Curious
that that first guess of mine should have turned out to be so near the
truth, isn’t it?”
“And what about Jefferson?” Alec asked quietly.
“Ah, yes, Jefferson. Well, I suppose this affair of the letter and the
fact that he did not break in on Mrs. Plant and Stanworth in the
library that night and consequently was not helped by that lady—I
suppose all this gives him credit for rather more brains than I had
been willing to concede him; but otherwise I don’t see that his
position is affected.”
“You mean, you still think he killed Stanworth?”
“If he didn’t, can you tell me who did?”
Alec shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve told you I’m convinced you’re
barking up the wrong tree. It’s no good going on repeating it.”
“Not a bit,” Roger said cheerfully.
“So what are you going to do?”
“Exactly what I was before. Have a little chat with him.”
“Rather ticklish business, isn’t it? I mean, when you’re so very
uncertain of your ground.”
“Possibly. But so was Mrs. Plant for that matter. I think I shall be
able to handle friend Jefferson all right. I shall be perfectly candid
with him, and I’m willing to wager a small sum that I shall be back
here within half an hour with his confession in my pocket.”
“Humph!” Alec observed sceptically. “Are you going to accuse
him directly of the murder?”
“My dear Alec! Nothing so crude as that. I shan’t even say in so
many words that I know a murder has been committed. I shall simply
ask him a few pointed and extremely pertinent questions. He’ll see
the drift of them all right; Master Jefferson is no fool, as we have
every reason to know. Then we shall be able to get down to things.”
“Well, for goodness’ sake do bear in mind the possibility (I won’t
put it any stronger than that) that Jefferson never did kill Stanworth
at all, and walk warily.”
“Trust me for that,” Roger replied complacently. “By the way, did I
tell you that Mrs. Plant received that letter just before going into
lunch? It caught the eight-thirty post from the village.”
“Did it?” Alec said without very much interest.
“By Jove!” Roger exclaimed suddenly. “What an idiot I am! That’s
conclusive proof that Stanworth couldn’t have posted it himself, isn’t
it? Fancy my never spotting that point before!”
“What point?”
“Why, the first post out from the village is five o’clock. That letter
must have been posted between five and eight-thirty—four hours or
more after Stanworth was dead!”
CHAPTER XXV.
The Mystery Finally Refuses to Accept
Mr. Sheringham’s Solution
Roger had no time to waste. Mrs. Plant, Alec, and himself were
all to leave by the train soon after five o’clock; the car would be
ready to take them into Elchester at half-past four. Tea was to be at
four, and the time was already close on three. He had an hour left in
which to disentangle the last remaining threads. As he stood for a
moment outside the morning-room door it seemed to Roger as if
even this narrow margin were half an hour more than he needed.
Jefferson was still at work among the piled-up papers. He
glanced up abstractedly as Roger entered the room and then smiled
slightly.
“Come to offer me a hand again?” he asked. “Devilish good of
you, but I’m afraid there’s absolutely nothing I can turn over to you
this time.”
Roger drew a chair up to the other side of the table and seated
himself deliberately.
“As a matter of fact, I hadn’t,” he said slowly. “I wanted to ask you
one or two questions, Jefferson, if you would be good enough to
answer them.”
Jefferson looked slightly surprised.
“Questions? All right, fire away. What can I tell you?”
“Well, the first thing I want to ask you,” Roger shot out, “is—
where were you at the time that Stanworth died?”
A look of blank astonishment was followed in Jefferson’s face by
an angry flush.
“And what the devil has that got to do with you?” he asked
abruptly.
“Never mind for the moment what it has to do with me,” Roger
replied, his heart beating a little faster than usual. “I want you to
answer that question.”
Jefferson rose slowly to his feet, his eyes glittering ominously.
“Do you want me to kick you out of the room?” he said in a strangely
quiet voice.
Roger leaned back in his chair and watched him unmoved.
“Do I understand that you refuse to answer?” he said evenly. “You
refuse to tell me where you were between, say, one and three
o’clock on the morning that Stanworth died?”
“Most decidedly I do. And I want to know what the hell you think
that has to do with you?”
“It may have nothing and it may have everything,” Roger said
calmly. “But I advise you to tell me, if not for your own sake at least
for the lady’s.”
If this was a chance shot, it had certainly got home. Jefferson’s
face took on a deeper tinge and his eyes widened in sheer fury. He
clenched his fists till the knuckles showed up white and menacing.
“Damn you, Sheringham, that’s about enough!” he muttered,
advancing towards the other. “I don’t know what the devil you think
you’re playing at, but——”
A sudden bluff darted into Roger’s mind. After all, what was a
man like Jefferson doing as secretary to a man like Stanworth? He
decided to risk it.
“Before you do anything rash, Jefferson,” he said quickly, “I’d like
to ask you another question. What was Stanworth blackmailing you
for?”
There are times when bluff pays. This was one of them. Jefferson
stopped short in his stride, his hands fell limply to his sides and his
jaw drooped open. It was as if he had been struck by a sudden and
unexpected bullet.
“Sit down and let’s talk things over quietly,” Roger advised, and
Jefferson resumed his seat without a word.
Roger reviewed the situation rapidly in his mind.
“You see,” he began in conversational tones, “I know quite a lot of
what’s been going on here, and in the circumstances I really have no
alternative but to find out the rest. I admit that it places me in rather
an awkward situation, but I can’t see that I can very well do anything
else. Now what I suggest, Jefferson, is that we both put our cards on
the table and talk the thing over as two men of the world. Do you
agree?”
Jefferson frowned. “You don’t appear to give me much option, do
you? Though what it has to do with you, I’m really hanged if I can
see.”
It was on Roger’s lips to retort that Jefferson would very probably
be hanged if he didn’t, but fortunately he was able to control himself.
“I should have thought that would have been obvious,” he said
smoothly. “I can hardly leave things as they are, can I? Still, we’ll
pass over that for the present. Now Stanworth was, as I know, a
blackmailer, and there can be no doubt as to that affecting the
situation in no small degree.”
“What situation?” Jefferson asked in puzzled tones.
Roger glanced at him shrewdly. “The situation,” he said firmly. “I
think we both understand to what I am referring.”
“I’m blessed if I do,” Jefferson retorted.
“Of course if you take up that attitude——!” Roger said
tentatively. “Still, perhaps it’s a little early to get down to brass tacks,”
he added, after a moment’s pause. “We’ll confine ourselves to the
other aspect for a time, shall we? Now Stanworth, I take it, had some
definite hold over you. Would you mind telling me exactly what that
was?”
“Is this necessary?” Jefferson demanded shortly. “My private
affair, you know. Why the deuce should you want to concern yourself
in it?”
“Don’t talk like that, Jefferson, please. You must see what course
you’ll force on me if you do.”
“Damned if I do! What course?”
“To put the whole thing in the hands of the police, naturally.”
Jefferson started violently. “Good God, you wouldn’t do that,
Sheringham!”
“I don’t want to do so, of course. But you really must be frank with
me. Now please tell me all about your relations with Stanworth. I
may tell you, to save you trouble, that I am already in full possession
of all the similar facts with regard to—well, the lady in the case.”
“The devil you are!” Jefferson exclaimed in undisguised
astonishment. “Oh, well, if I’ve got to tell you, I suppose I must.
Though what in the name of goodness it can have to—— However!”
He leaned back in his chair and began to fiddle abstractedly with
the papers in front of him.
“It was this way. My regiment was in India. Pal of mine and I were
both in love with the same girl. No bad blood or anything like that.
Good friends all the time. He got her. Wanted to get married at once,
but very hard up, of course. We all were. He’d got a lot of debts, too.
Damned fool went and drew a check on another man’s account.
Forged it, if you like. Absurd thing to do; bound to come out. There
was a hell of a row, but we managed to keep it confined to a few of
us. Chap came and confessed to me; asked what on earth he’d
better do. They hadn’t found out who’d done it yet, but when they did
it would be all up with him. Lose the girl and everything; she was
fond enough of him, but straight as a die herself. Couldn’t have stood
the disgrace. Well, what could I do? Couldn’t stand by and see all
this happen. Went to the colonel and told him I’d done the blessed
thing. Only thing to do.”
“By Jove, you sportsman!” Roger exclaimed involuntarily.
“Sportsman be damned! Wouldn’t have done it for him alone. I
was thinking of the girl.”
“And what happened?”
“Oh, it was hushed up as much as possible. I had to send in my
papers, of course, but the fellow didn’t prosecute. Then that hound
Stanworth got wind of the story somehow and managed to lay his
hands on the check, which had never been destroyed. Perfect
godsend to him, of course. Gave me choice of taking on this job with
him or letting the whole thing be passed on to the police. No
alternative. I had to take on the job.”
“But why on earth did he want you as his secretary? That’s what I
can’t understand.”
“Simple enough. He wanted to push his way in among the sort of
people I knew. I was a sort of social sponsor for him. Damned
unpleasant job, of course, but what could I do? Besides, when I took
the job on I didn’t know anything about him. Thought he was just a
new-rich merchant and I was his only victim in the threatening line.
Soon found out, of course; but too late to back out then. That’s all.
Satisfied?”
“Perfectly. Sorry I had to ask you, but you see how it is. Well, I’m
dashed if I can blame you. I’d have done the same thing myself. But
I’d like to have the story of it from your own lips.”
“Just told you the story.”
“No, the other one, I mean.”
“What other one?”
“Oh, don’t beat about the bush like this. You know perfectly well
what I’m driving at. I’ll put it in the original form, if you like. Where
were you during the night that Stanworth died?”
Jefferson’s angry flush returned.
“Now look here, Sheringham, that’s too much. I’ve told you things
I never dreamed I’d have to tell anyone, and I’m not going to have
you probing any farther into my business. That’s final.”
Roger rose to his feet. “I’m sorry you take it like that, Jefferson,”
he said quietly. “You leave me no alternative.”
“What are you going to do then?”
“Tell the police the whole story.”
“Are you mad, Sheringham?” Jefferson burst out angrily.
“No, but I think you are, not to trust me,” Roger retorted, hardly
less so. “You don’t think I want to tell them, do you? It’s you who are
forcing me to do so.”
“What, through not telling you what—what I was doing that
night?”
“Of course.”
There was a short pause, while the two glared at each other.
“Come back in a quarter of an hour,” Jefferson said abruptly. “I’ll
think it over. Have to consult her, of course, first.”
Roger nodded acquiescence to this proposal and hurried out of
the room. Exultantly he sought Alec.
“I told you so, Alexander,” he cried triumphantly, as soon as he
was fairly inside the room. “Jefferson’s on the point of confession!”
“He’s not!” Alec exclaimed incredulously.
“He is indeed. And there’s a lot more to it than that. I’ve bluffed
him into believing that I know a lot more than I do really, and he’s
going to tell me all sorts of other things as well. He’s let one cat out
of the bag already. I can tell you. Mrs. Plant is in it, after all!”
“Oh, rot!” Alec replied with decision. “That’s out of the question. I
know she isn’t.”
“Don’t be so absurd, Alexander,” Roger retorted somewhat
nettled. “How can you possibly know?”
“Well, anyhow, I’m sure she isn’t,” Alec replied obstinately.
“But my dear chap, friend Jefferson has just gone off to consult
her as to whether he shall tell me the whole story or not. I threatened
him with the police, you see, if he didn’t.”
“I suppose you taxed him outright with the murder, did you?”
“No, Alexander, I didn’t,” Roger answered wearily. “The word
murder was never so much as mentioned. I simply put it that I
wanted to know what he was doing on the night of Stanworth’s
death.”
“And he wouldn’t tell you?” Alec asked, somewhat surprisedly.
“He certainly would not. But he told me a lot of other things. He
was in Stanworth’s power all right. I haven’t got time to tell you the
whole story, but there’s motive enough for him to kill Stanworth
himself, even without the introduction of Mrs. Plant’s side of it. Oh,
the whole thing’s as plain as a pikestaff. I can’t understand why
you’re so sceptical about it all.”
“Perhaps I make a better detective than you do, Roger,” Alec
laughed, a trifle constrainedly.
“Perhaps,” Roger said without very much conviction. He glanced
at his watch. “Well, I’d better be getting back. I wonder if you’d
believe it if I showed you Jefferson’s confession in writing! Would
you?”
“I very much doubt it,” Alec smiled.
Jefferson was no longer alone in the morning room when Roger
returned to it. To the latter’s surprise Lady Stanworth was also there.
She was standing with her back to the window and did not look
round at his entrance. Roger shut the door carefully behind him and
looked inquiringly at Jefferson.
That gentleman did not waste time.
“We’ve talked the matter over,” he said curtly, “and decided to tell
you what you want to know.”
Roger could hardly repress an exclamation of surprise. Why
should Jefferson have imported Lady Stanworth into the matter?
Obviously she must be involved, and deeply, too. Could it be that
Jefferson had taken her into his confidence with regard to Mrs.
Plant? How much did she know, if that were the case? Presumably
everything. Roger felt that the situation was about to prove not a little
awkward.
“I’m glad,” he murmured, half apologetically.
Jefferson was carrying the thing off well. Not only did he appear
to be feeling no fear at all, but his manner was not even that of
defiance. The attitude he had adopted and which sat perfectly
naturally upon him was rather one of dignified condescension.
“But before I answer you, Sheringham,” he said stiffly, “I should
like to say, both on behalf of this lady and myself, that we consider
——”
Lady Stanworth turned to him. “Please!” she said quietly. “I don’t
think we need go into that. If Mr. Sheringham is incapable of
understanding the position into which he has forced us, there can
hardly be any need to labour the point.”
“Quite, quite,” Roger murmured still more apologetically, and
feeling unaccountably small. Lady Stanworth was perhaps the only
person in the world who consistently had that effect upon him.
“Very well,” Jefferson bowed. He turned to Roger. “You wanted to
know where I was on the night that Stanworth shot himself?”
“On the night of Stanworth’s death,” Roger corrected, with a slight
smile.
“On the night of Stanworth’s death then,” Jefferson said
impatiently. “Same thing. As I said before, I fail entirely to see how it
can concern you, but we have decided under the circumstances to
tell you. After all, the fact will be common knowledge soon enough
now. I was with my wife.”
“Your wife?” Roger echoed, scarcely able to believe his ears.
“That is what I said,” Jefferson replied coldly. “Lady Stanworth
and I were married secretly nearly six months ago.”
CHAPTER XXVI.
Mr. Grierson Tries His Hand
For some moments Roger was incapable of speech. This
disclosure was so totally unexpected, so entirely the reverse of
anything that he had ever imagined, that at first it literally took his
breath away. He could only stand and stare, as if his eyes were
about to pop out of his head, at the two entirely unmoved persons
who had sprung this overwhelming surprise upon him.
“Is that what you wished to know?” Jefferson asked courteously.
“Or would you wish my wife to confirm it?”
“Oh, no; no need at all,” Roger gasped, doing his best to pull
himself together. “I—I should like to apologise to you for the apparent
impertinence of my questions and to—to congratulate you, if you will
allow me to do so.”
“Very kind,” Jefferson muttered. Lady Stanworth, or Lady
Jefferson as she was now, bowed slightly.
“If you don’t want me any more, Harry,” she said to her husband,
“there are one or two things I have to do.”
“Certainly,” Jefferson said, opening the door for her.
She passed out without another glance at Roger.
“Look here, Jefferson,” exclaimed the latter impulsively, as soon
as the door was closed again, “I know you must be thinking me the
most appalling bounder, but you must believe that I shouldn’t have
tackled you in that way if I hadn’t got very solid and serious reasons
for doing so. As things have turned out, I can’t tell you at present
what those reasons are; but really it’s something of the greatest
possible importance.”
“Oh, that’s all right, Sheringham,” Jefferson returned with gruff
amiability. “Guessed you must have something up your sleeve. Bit
awkward, though. Ladies, and all that, y’know,” he added vaguely.
“Beastly,” Roger said sympathetically. “As a matter of fact, that’s
a development that had never occurred to me at all, you and Lady
Stanworth being married. If anything, it makes things very much
more complicated than before.”
“Bit of a mystery or something on hand, eh?” Jefferson asked
with interest.
“Very much so,” Roger replied, gazing thoughtfully out of the
window. “Connected with Stanworth, and—and his activities, you
understand,” he added.
“Ah!” Jefferson observed comprehendingly. “Then I’d better not
ask any questions. Don’t want to learn anything more about that side
of things. Seen too many poor devils going through it already.”
“No, but I tell you what,” Roger said, wheeling suddenly about. “If
you could answer a few more questions for me, I should be more
than grateful. Only as a favour, of course, and if you refuse I shall
understand perfectly. But you might be able to help me clear up a
very tricky state of affairs.”
“If it’s anything to do with helping somebody Stanworth got hold
of, I’ll answer questions all night,” Jefferson replied with vigour. “Go
ahead.”
“Thanks, very much. Well, then, in the first place, will you tell me
some details regarding your wife’s relations with Stanworth? It
doesn’t matter if you object, but I should be very glad if you could
see your way to do so.”
“But I thought you said you knew that story?”
Roger did not think it necessary to explain that the lady to whom
he had been referring was not Lady Jefferson. “Oh, I know most of it,
I think,” he said airily, “but I should like to hear it all from you, if I
could. I know that she was in Stanworth’s power, of course,” he
added, making a shot in the twilight, “but I’m not quite clear as to the
precise way.”
Jefferson shrugged his shoulders. “Oh, well, as you seem to
know so much, you’d better have the whole lot straight. Stanworth
nosed out something about her father. His brother was in love with
her, and Stanworth gave her the option of marrying him or having her
father shown up. He could have had the old earl put in the dock, I
believe. Naturally she chose the brother, who, by the way, didn’t
know anything about Stanworth’s activities, so I understand. Quite
an amiable, rather weak sort of a fellow.”
“And since then, of course, Stanworth had the whip hand over
her?”
Jefferson winced. “Yes,” he said shortly. “Even after her father
died, she wouldn’t want the family shown up.”
“I see,” said Roger thoughtfully. So Lady Stanworth had little
enough reason to love her brother-in-law. And since Jefferson fell in
love with her, her cause would naturally become his. Truly he had
motive and to spare for ridding the world of such a man. Yet,
although Jefferson and his wife might easily have concocted the
story of his whereabouts that night, Roger already felt just as
convinced of the former’s innocence as he was before of his guilt.
The man’s manner seemed somehow to preclude altogether the idea
of subterfuge. Had he really killed Stanworth, Roger was sure that he
would have said so by the time that matters had reached this length,
bluntly and simply, just as he had told the story of his own downfall.
But in spite of his convictions, Roger was not such a fool as not
to put the obvious questions that occurred to him.
“Why was your marriage secret?” he asked. “Did Stanworth know
about it?”
“No; he wouldn’t have allowed it. It would have looked like a
combination against him. He wanted us separate, for his own ends.”
“Did you hear the shot that killed him?” Roger said suddenly.
“No. About two o’clock, wasn’t it? I’d been asleep two hours.”
“You did sleep with your wife then, in spite of the necessity of
preserving secrecy?”
“Her maid knew. Used to go back to my room in the early
morning. Beastly hole-and-corner business, but no alternative.”
“And only Stanworth’s death could have freed you, so to speak?”
Roger mused. “Very opportune, wasn’t it?”
“Very,” Jefferson replied laconically. “You think I forced him
somehow to shoot himself, don’t you?”
“Well, I—I——” Roger stammered, completely taken aback.
Jefferson smiled grimly. “Knew you must have some comic idea
in your head. Just seen what you’ve been driving at. Well, you can
rest assured I didn’t. For the simple reason that nobody or no threats