EP0255291B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for electrochemical measurements
Assignee: Alere Switzerland GmbH
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Filing: 1987-07-23
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Granted: 1992-06-24
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Expires: 2007-07-23
Abstract
Abstract A method for measurement or detection of a component of an aqueous liquid sample, said method comprising: placing a sample, possibly containing the component of interest, into a reaction cell, said reaction cell comprising at least two electrodes having an imedance which renders them suitable for coulometric, amperometric or voltammetric processes, so that the sample forms a layer of liquid having a thickness less than about 0.2 millimeter in a reaction zone overlying one of said electrodes, reacting said component, if present, directly or indirectly with a redox reagent represented by one of said electrodes to cause deposition of a derivative of said component on said one electrode, and monitoring current on deposition or subsequent stripping of said derivative to provide an indication of the presence or quantity of said component of interest by coulometry, voltammetry or amperometry.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian Jeffrey Birch
- 👤 Ian William Burns
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:16
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12Q; C12Q1/00; C12Q1/001; C12Q1/004; G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/26; G01N27/28; G01N27/30; G01N27/327; G01N27/3271; G01N27/416; G01N27/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A method for measurement or detection of a component of an aqueous liquid sample, said method comprising: placing a sample, possibly containing the component of interest, into a capillary fill reaction cell, said reaction cell comprising at least two electrodes adapted to coulometric measurements, so that the sample forms a layer of liquid having a thickness less than about 0.2 millimeter in a reaction zone overlying one of said electrodes, reacting said component, if present, directly or indirectly with a redox reagent initially present in the form of a solid releasable layer deposited on an internal surface of the reaction cell and which is released into solution in said sample in said zone, thereby to form in said zone a quantity proportional to the amount of said component present in said zone of an electrochemically oxidizable or reducible substance capable of reacting electrochemically with said electrode, and being different from said redox reagent, and coulometrically detecting or estimating a quantity of electrical charge which relates to said oxidizable or reducible substance in said zone to provide an indication of the amount of said component of interest.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said component to be measured is formed by initial enzymatic or chemical conversion of an analyte.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said redox reagent is selected from the group comprising ferricyanide, methylene blue, p-benzoquinone, 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol, pyocyanine and thionine, and said electrochemically oxidizable or reducible substance is oxidizable and comprises a reduced form of said redox reagent.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said component is reacted with an enzyme and said redox reagent thereby to form said electrochemically oxidizable or reducible substance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein said enzyme comprises an oxidoreductase enzyme.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said component comprises a reducing sugar and said enzyme comprises a corresponding sugar oxidase.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said component comprises glucose and said enzyme comprises glucose oxidase.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
194 words
Apparatus for carrying out electrochemical detection or measurement of a component of an aqueous liquid sample, said apparatus comprising: a capillary fill reaction cell comprising at least two electrodes, the electrodes being adapted to coulometric measurements and being located in or adjacent to a reaction zone, said reaction zone being capable of receiving an aqueous liquid sample possibly containing said component of interest, and said electrodes and said reaction zone being arranged so that liquid in said zone contacts said electrodes and forms a layer having a thickness less than about 0.2 millimeter overlying one of said electrodes, and said cell also comprising a redox reagent in the form of a solid releasable layer deposited on an internal surface of the cell and located to contact said sample when said sample is introduced into said cell and into said reaction zone, said redox reagent being released into solution in said aqueous sample in said zone and reacting directly or indirectly with said component to form an electrochemically oxidizable or reducible substance in said zone, said oxidizable or reducible substance being capable of reacting electrochemically with said electrode and being different from said redox reagent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an enzyme located to contact said sample when said sample is introduced into said cell and into said reaction zone, said enzyme being capable of catalysing direct or indirect reaction between said component and said redox reagent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said enzyme is carried as a releasable layer on a surface of said reaction cell or reaction zone which in use is contacted by aqueous sample introduced into said apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said enzyme comprises an oxidoreductase.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said enzyme comprises glucose oxidase.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein said redox reagent is selected from the group comprising ferricyanide, methylene blue, p-benzoquinone, 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol, pyocyanine and thionine, and said electrochemically oxidizable or reducible substance is oxidizable and comprises a reduced form of said redox reagent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein said electrodes are selected from the group comprising gold, carbon and silver electrodes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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