Patent ID: 6562209
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
Apparatus for conducting an electrochemical enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for a bioagent, protein or nucleic acid comprising;a plurality of vessels, said plurality of vessels including: a first vessel containing 1Â° antibody coated magnetic beads in liquid; a second vessel containing a wash solution; a third vessel containing a 2Â° antibody linked enzyme; a fourth vessel containing a substrate reporter; and sample holding means containing a sample solution containing said bioagent, protein or nucleic acid; an examination cell; an electronic controller, said electronic controller including a program, a start switch and a display; a sensor for electrically detecting the level of reporter present in said examination cell and supplying said detected level of reporter present to said electronic controller; said electronic controller for motivating passage of the respective contents of each of said vessels into said examination cell when required by said program and for motivating removal of the contents of said examination cell in whole or in part when required by said program; said program configured for performing an ELISA technique, wherein motivation of the contents of each of said vessels is motivated in a sequence; said program including means for motivating the contents of said fourth vessel into said examination cell and initiating collection of the detected level of reporter present at said sensor at each of a plurality of time intervals following motivation of the contents of said fourth vessel into said examination cell; whereby insertion of the contents of said fourth vessel into said examination cell when said respective bioagent, protein or nucleic acid is present in said examination cell produces an electrochemical redox recycling reaction inside said examination cell to produce levels of reporter that increases with time; said program further including an analysis program for analyzing the detected level of reporter at each of said plurality of time intervals and determining the concentration of bioagent, protein or nucleic acid present in said sample when said respective bioagent, protein or nucleic acid is present in said sample and displaying said concentration on said display.