Method and apparatus for assay of electrochemical properties
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Abstract
A method for monitoring a select analyte in a sample in an electrochemical system. The method includes applying to the electrochemical system a time-varying potential superimposed on a DC potential to generate a signal; and discerning from the signal a contribution from the select analyte by resolving an estimation equation based on a Faradaic signal component and a nonfaradaic signal component.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1-45. -45. (canceled)
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46. A method for determining effective electrode area in an electrochemical test cell containing a liquid sample, wherein the electrochemical test cell comprises two electrodes and the effective electrode area is the area of the electrodes that is in contact with the liquid sample, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying a potential stimulus to the electrodes to generate a current signal, wherein the potential stimulus comprises a time-varying potential component superimposed on a constant potential component; (b) isolating from the current signal a time-varying current component; (c) determining the phase angle of the time-varying current component relative to the to time-varying potential component, (d) using the phase angle to separate the time-varying current component into a real part and an imaginary part, the magnitude of the imaginary part being related to the effective electrode area; and (e) determining electrode area from the determined magnitude of the imaginary part of the time-varying current component. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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49. A method for estimating an analyte concentration in a liquid sample comprising the steps of:
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(a) introducing the liquid sample to an electrochemical test cell, wherein the electrochemical test cell comprises two electrodes, each having a surface that makes contact with the liquid sample, said electrodes surfaces having a surface area, Ae, expected, that is in contact with the liquid sample when the test cell is full, (b) determining an initial value for the amount of analyte in the sample, (c) determining the area of the electrodes that is actually in contact with the liquid sample by; (i) applying a potential stimulus to the electrodes to generate a current signal, wherein the potential stimulus comprises a time-varying potential component superimposed on a constant potential component; (ii) isolating from the current signal a time-varying current component; (iii) determining the phase angle of the time-varying current component relative to the to time-varying potential component, (iv) using the phase angle to separate the time-varying current component into a real part and an imaginary part, the magnitude of the imaginary part being related to the effective electrode area; and (v) determining an actual electrode area, Ae, actual, from the determined magnitude of the imaginary part of the time-varying current component; and (d) correcting the initial value to take into the difference between Ae,expected and Ae, actual to arrive at an estimate of analyte concentration in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification