Patent ID: 7514938
Filing Date: 2009-04-07
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A dielectric relaxation spectroscopy apparatus comprising: (A) at least two electrodes; (B) an alternating current source in electrical communication with at least one of the electrodes; (C) a sample cell intermediate the electrodes and having at least one cell barrier section intermediate each of the electrodes and a sample containment section within the sample cell, wherein the cell barrier section is at least partially made from an electrical insulator, whereby the electrodes act as a capacitor with the sample cell forming a dielectric between the electrodes; (D) a plurality of discrete particles having a mean cross sectional width between about 0.01 μm and about 10 μm, whereby the interaction of a sample analyte and the particles produces a characteristic relaxation frequency in the range of about 400 Hz and about 200 kHz; and (E) a detector coupled to at least one of the electrodes and configured to measure characteristic relaxation frequencies in the range of about 400 Hz and about 200 kHz.