Patent ID: 8188243

Claim:
A composition for detecting an analyte of interest in a sample comprising: (A)k, (B)u, (C), (D)x wherein A is an ECL moiety which can be induced to repeatedly emit electromagnetic radiation by direct exposure to an electrochemical energy source; B is at least one first carrier containing A, wherein A can be released from B and B is either linked to (1) an analog of the analyte of interest; or (2) to a first specific binding partner of the analyte of interest; C is the sample which may contain the analyte of interest; and D is at least one second carrier and is either linked to (3) the analog of the analyte of interest; or (4) a second specific binding partner of the analyte of interest; wherein k is an integer equal to or greater than 2; and u and x are each an integer equal to or greater than 1, provided that B and D are not both linked to the analog of the analyte of interest, and provided that if B is linked to the analog of the analyte of interest, then D is linked to the second specific binding partner and if D is linked to the analog of the analyte of interest, then B is linked to the first specific binding partner, wherein B comprises an interior and includes a plurality of the ECL moieties A within the interior of B; and the ECL moiety A is soluble in organic solvent and insoluble in aqueous solvent.