Fluorescent polymeric sensor for the detection of urea
First Claim
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1. A urea sensor material comprising:
- a first layer comprising a pH-sensitive fluorophore immobilized non-aqueously within a first, hydrophobic polymer, wherein the fluorophore is protonated within the first hydrophobic polymer, can react quantitatively with ammonia, and has a transducing moiety that is neutrally charged when deprotonated;
a second layer comprising urease and a second polymer, a first side of the second layer contacting one side of the first layer; and
a third layer comprising a third polymer, the third layer contacting a second side of the second layer.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a urea sensor material having a first layer of a protonated pH sensitive fluorophore immobilized in a hydrophobic polymer, wherein the fluorophore can react quantitatively with ammonia and the transducing moiety of the fluorophore is neutrally charged when deprotonated; a second layer of urease and a polymer; and a third layer of a polymer. The present invention also provides a method for detecting urea using the urea sensor material and optical sensing devices that incorporate the urea sensor material.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A urea sensor material comprising:
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a first layer comprising a pH-sensitive fluorophore immobilized non-aqueously within a first, hydrophobic polymer, wherein the fluorophore is protonated within the first hydrophobic polymer, can react quantitatively with ammonia, and has a transducing moiety that is neutrally charged when deprotonated; a second layer comprising urease and a second polymer, a first side of the second layer contacting one side of the first layer; and a third layer comprising a third polymer, the third layer contacting a second side of the second layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A process for preparing a urea sensor material comprising:
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non-aqueously combining a pH-sensitive fluorophore and a first, hydrophobic polymer to form a first mixture, wherein the fluorophore is protonated within the first, hydrophobic polymer, can react quantitatively with ammonia, and has a transducing moiety that is neutrally charged when deprotonated; forming a first layer of the first mixture on a substrate; combining urease and a second polymer to form a second mixture; forming a second layer of the second mixture on the first layer; and forming a third layer of a third polymer on the second layer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An optical sensing device for measuring ammonia concentration in a solution comprising urea comprising:
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a first layer comprising a pH-sensitive fluorophore immobilized non-aqueously in a first, hydrophobic polymer, wherein the fluorophore is protonated within the first, hydrophobic polymer, can react quantitatively with ammonia, and has a transducing moiety that is neutrally charged when deprotonated, a first side of the first layer contacting a surface of an optical component, which is transparent to incident and emissive electromagnetic waves; a second layer comprising a urease and a second polymer, a first side of the second layer contacting a second side of the first layer; a third layer comprising a third polymer, one side of the third layer contacting a second side of the second layer; wherein the optical component is optically connected to means for collecting radiant emission to measure fluorescence indicative of ammonia concentration. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A urea sensor material comprising:
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a first layer consisting essentially of a pH-sensitive fluorophore immobilized non-aqueously within a first, hydrophobic polymer, wherein the fluorophore is protonated within the first, hydrophobic polymer, can react quantitatively with ammonia, and has a transducing moiety that is neutrally charged when deprotonated; a second layer comprising urease and a second polymer, a first side of the second layer contacting one side of the first layer; and a third layer comprising a third polymer, the third layer contacting a second side of the second layer. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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33. A urea sensor material comprising:
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a first layer consisting essentially of a pH-sensitive fluorophore and an onium compound immobilized non-aqueously within a first, hydrophobic polymer, wherein the fluorophore is protonated within the first, hydrophobic polymer, can react quantitatively with ammonia, and has a transducing moiety that is neutrally charged when deprotonated; a second layer comprising urease and a second polymer, a first side of the second layer contacting one side of the first layer; and a third layer comprising a third polymer, the third layer contacting a second side of the second layer.
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Specification