Patent ID: 7238536
Filing Date: 2007-07-03
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting by electrogenerated chemiluminescence a chemical species in a solution containing the chemical species and an electroluminescent species, the method comprising: contacting the solution with an electrode comprising an electrically conductive surface having a polyelectrolyte complex film deposited thereon, the polyelectrolyte complex film comprising a positively-charged polyelectrolyte and a negatively-charged polyelectrolyte, wherein (i) the electroluminescent species and the electrically conductive surface of the electrode are initially separated by the polyelectrolyte complex film; (ii) the chemical species interacts selectively with the polyelectrolyte complex film; and (iii) the selective interaction of the chemical species with the polyelectrolyte complex film causes the polyelectrolyte complex film to become permeable to the electroluminescent species, whereby the electroluminescent species permeates the polyelectrolyte complex film, allowing the electroluminescent species to contact the electrically conductive surface; and applying a voltage to the electrically conductive surface to cause the electroluminescent species to become oxidized or reduced when the electroluminescent species is in contact with the electrically conductive surface, thereby causing the electroluminescent species to electrogenerate chemiluminescence.