Patent ID: 7645615

Claim:
A method for detecting chemical compounds, said method comprising the steps of: addition of a sample to immunomicrobeads; allowing an analyte in said sample to bind to an analyte-binding material on a surface of said immunomicrobeads; rinsing said immunomicrobeads such that said analyte remains bound to said analyte-binding material while the remainder of said sample is removed; incorporating said immunomicrobeads into a microassay structure, said microassay structure comprising at least one three-dimensional microstructure having a substrate and alternating conducting layers and insulating layers, wherein said conducting layers comprise a plurality of independently addressable electrodes sandwiched between said insulating layers, and wherein said microassay structure includes a material that facilitates physiabsorbtion of said immunomicrobeads; allowing said analyte-binding material to attach to one of said conducting layers or said insulating layers; addition of a secondary analyte-binding material having an electroactive complex attached, said electroactive complex having an electroactive species capable of generating an electric current and/or voltage by either accepting or transmitting one or more electrons to at least one of said electrodes; allowing said secondary analyte-binding material to bind to said analyte; rinsing said microassay structure such that only said secondary analyte-binding material bound to said analyte remain in said microassay structure; activating said electroactive complex such that said electroactive species is released from said electroactive complex resulting in said electric current and/or voltage to be generated within said microassay structure, wherein said step of activating of said electroactive complex is selected from the group consisting of change in temperature, change in pH, denaturation or addition of an activating compound; and measuring said electric current and/or voltage within said microassay structure.