Polymer catalyst transducers

• US 4,560,534 A
• Filed: 11/02/1983
• Issued: 12/24/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Miles Laboratories, Inc. (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Miles Laboratories, Inc. (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Vogelhut, Paul O., Kung, Wei-jen
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Barry S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gzybowski, Michael S.
• Application Number:
  US06/548,152
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 338/34, 324/71.1, 422/68, 422/98, 422/88, 422/90, 436/155, 436/151
• US Class Current: 422/82.02
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/001 Enzyme electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/006 for glucose

Abstract

Polymer-catalyst transducers are used for detecting one or more constituents in a sample. Changes in conductivity of the polymer-catalyst transducers as a result of electron density changes are measured to provide an indication of a particular constituent present in the sample. Such conductivity changes can be measured using a conductivity meter. The polymer-catalyst transducers are particularly useful for the determination of glucose in whole blood.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting a constituent in a fluid sample by measuring changes in conductivity, said apparatus comprising:

a polymer catalyst transducer consisting essentially of a metal-organic or metal-inorganic catalyst and a polymer of a nuclearly unsaturated heterocyclic compound;

metal electrodes in either direct or indirect contact with the polymer catalyst transducer for detecting changes in the conductivity of said polymer catalyst transducer when said transducer is contacted with a fluid sample; and

means connected to said electrodes for measuring changes in the conductivity of the polymer catalyst transducer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 which also includes a flow chamber, in which said polymer catalyst transducer is positioned, which brings a fluid sample into contact with said polymer catalyst transducer inside said flow chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the electrodes are constructed of a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, rhodium or titanium.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the catalyst is an organic or inorganic metal compound wherein the metal is a Group VIII member of the periodic table.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the catalyst is metal phthalocyanine.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the catalyst is a metal porphyrin.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the polymer catalyst transducer comprises polypyrrole tetrachloroferrate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the polymer catalyst transducer comprises polypyrrole iron tetrasulfophthalocyanine.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the polymer catalyst transducer comprises polypyrrole tetracholororuthenate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the polymer catalyst transducer comprises polythiophene tetrachloroferrate.