Conductive Membrane Electrode for Rapid Pathogen Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting bacterial pathogens are cumbersome, costly, and require skilled personnel, with existing disposable sensor elements being bulky, requiring continuous replenishment of electrodes and filtration membranes that are not conductive, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A portable, automated immunoassay unit using conductive membranes or powders as both a solid phase support for antibody immobilization and a working electrode, employing a 'sandwich' scheme with amperometric measurements for rapid detection of pathogens, allowing for simplified, cost-effective, and sensitive analysis by less-trained personnel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a non-conductive filtration membrane is used in support of the immunosorbent layer, then filtration function is provided, but an electrode must be placed in close proximity to the membrane to accurately measure electron transfer changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the filtration membrane and electrode into a single integrated component. The electrode is incorporated directly into the membrane structure, allowing the membrane to serve dual functions: filtration and electrochemical measurement. This integration eliminates the need for separate electrode components and simplifies the overall device architecture while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a filtration barrier and an electrochemical sensor substrate. By embedding conductive materials or electrode structures within the membrane matrix, the same component that filters the sample also detects electron transfer changes, reducing the number of separate parts needed.
2Measurement precision
If three electrodes and additional components are included in the disposable element, then detection capability is enhanced, but the size of the disposable element increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple electrode functions into a single integrated electrode structure within the disposable element. Rather than including three separate electrodes, the design consolidates the electrochemical detection functionality into one compact component that maintains sufficient detection precision while reducing overall element size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential detection components needed for accurate pathogen detection, eliminating unnecessary elements. The disposable element includes only the immunosorbent layer, conductive membrane, and essential electrode structures required for measurement, removing extraneous components that would increase size without adding proportional detection capability.
3Reliability
If Ag/AgCl electrode and chlorine are continuously replenished and carbon working electrodes are cleaned, then sensor performance is maintained, but operational complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable sensor element that is discarded after a single use, eliminating the need for continuous maintenance, electrode replenishment, or cleaning operations. The low cost of the disposable element makes this economically viable, transforming a complex maintenance-intensive system into a simple replaceable component system that maintains reliable performance without operational burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor element is designed to be self-contained and self-sufficient for its operational lifetime, requiring no external maintenance services. All necessary components including electrodes, membranes, and immunosorbent materials are pre-assembled in a configuration that maintains performance automatically throughout use, with no user intervention needed for upkeep.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces analysis time, increases sensitivity, and lowers costs, enabling rapid, portable detection of bacterial pathogens in field conditions, with results in about 20 minutes, and is applicable for a wide range of analytes including bacteria, viruses, and chemicals.
Implementation Method 1
The disposable element disclosed in the patent includes an immunosorbent layer having antibodies to a target microbe affixed thereto, a membrane or carbon powder in support of the immunosorbent layer, and three electrodes for detecting electrochemical signals
Implementation Method 2
an immunosorbent layer having antibodies to a target microbe affixed thereto
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for an immunoassay technique that uses amperometric measurements to rapidly analyze different pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, toxins, and parasites. A conductive membrane is used to provide support for antibody immobilization and serve as a working electrode. The proposed technique is adaptable for use with different materials so as to form a membrane having a pore size that is suited to the particular application. A compact and simple disposable element can be used. The immunoassay can be automated using microprocessor control so as to reduce the amount of human intervention in sample analysis.