Thomas F Meyer

US Patent:

56038208, Feb 18, 1997

Filed:

Jun 7, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/477620

Inventors:

Tadeusz Malinski - Oakland Township MI
David A. Wink - Hagerstown MD
Janet Younathan - Rochester NY
Royce W. Murray - Chapel Hill NC
Melani Sullivan - Rufenach, CH
Thomas J. Meyer - Chapel Hill NC
Danae D. Christodoulou - Frederick MD

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health
and Human Services - Washington DC
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill NC

International Classification:

G01N 2726

US Classification:

205781

Abstract:

An electrode sensor which may be used to specifically and quantitatively measure nitric oxide is provided, as well as a method of preparing and using such an electrode sensor to measure nitric oxide concentration in solution. A nitric oxide (NO) microsensor based on catalytic oxidation of NO comprises a thermally-sharpened carbon fiber with a tip diameter of about 0. 5-0. 7. mu. m coated with several layers of p-type semiconducting polymeric porphyrin and cationic exchanger deposited thereon. The microsensor, which can be operated in either the amperometric, voltammetric or coulometric mode utilizing a two or three electrode system, is characterized by a linear response up to about 300. mu. M, a response time better than 10 msec and a detection limit of about 10 nM. The sensor of the present invention also discriminates against nitrite, the most problematic interferant in NO measurements.