Rapid determination of nicotinic acid by immobilized lactobacillus arabinosus

A rapid determination of aicotinic acid by using immobilized Lactobacillus arabinosus and a combined glass electrode is reported. L. arabinosus is immobilized in agar gel. The optimum agar concentration is from 2-2.5% ( w v) and the optimum bacterial concentration in the agar gel matrix is 10 mg wet cells ml^-1. The relationship between the potential difference and the logarithm of the nicotinic acid concentration is linear over the range 5 X 10^-8-5 X 10^-6 g ml^-1. The assay requires only 1 h; potentials are reproducible with an average relative error of 5%. The growth of L. arabinosus in agar gel matrix is observed in the medium containing nicotinic acid. Immobilized L. arabinosus is stable for 30 days.