Unitary multiple electrode sensor

Claim 1

A method for performing an immunoassay of an analyte in a blood or a blood component test sample on a unitary electrochemical sensor, the method comprising: (a) applying a test sample onto a unitary electrochemical sensor, said sensor comprising: (i) a sensor support member including an electrically non-conductive surface; and (ii) a plurality of wells deposited on the support member, wherein within each well is deposited an electrode array, the array defining an area on the support member for applying a test sample, the array consisting of a working electrode, a counter electrode and a reference electrode; and wherein the electrodes of the array are spaced from one another horizontally and vertically in said well, and wherein sensor activating chemicals are located on or attached to the working electrode of the array, the sensor activating chemicals comprising an electron transfer mediator, a first conjugate including a specific binding partner for the analyte to be measured, and a second conjugate including a known amount of the said analyte attached to an oxidizing catalyst or oxidizing substrate; and wherein the second conjugate is located on or attached to the working electrode of said array following the application of the test sample; (b) applying an electron source onto the array on which said test sample was applied; (c) applying a preselected potential between the working electrode and the counter electrode of the array; (d) measuring the current between the working electrode and the counter electrode of the array; and (e) determining the amount of the analyte in the test sample from the measurement of the current in step (d) relative to the preselected potential of step (c).

Claim 2

A method for performing an immunoassay of an analyte in a blood or a blood component test sample on a unitary electrochemical sensor, the method comprising: (a) applying a test sample onto a unitary electrochemical sensor, said sensor comprising: (i) a sensor support member including an electrically non-conductive surface; and (ii) a plurality of wells deposited on the support member, wherein within each well is deposited an electrode array, the array defining an area on the support member for applying a test sample, the array consisting of a working electrode, a counter electrode and a reference electrode; and wherein the electrodes of the array are spaced from one another horizontally and vertically in said well, and wherein sensor activating chemicals are located on or attached to the working electrode of the array, the sensor activating chemicals comprising an electron transfer mediator, a first conjugate including a specific binding partner for the analyte to be measured, and a second conjugate including a known amount of the said analyte attached to an oxidizing catalyst or oxidizing substrate; and wherein the second conjugate is located on or attached to the working electrode of said array following the application of the test sample; (b) applying an electron source onto the array on which said test sample was applied; (c) applying a preselected potential between the working electrode and the counter electrode of the array; (d) measuring the current between the working electrode and the counter electrode of the array; and (e) determining the amount of the analyte in the test sample from the measurement of the current in step (d) relative to the preselected potential of step (c).