Biosensors
e-corder can record signals from many different types of biosensor with a suitable meter/preamplifier.
Amperometric sensors
Usually these sensors are designed to work at a particular voltage (the polarising potential). The resulting current flow is measured and is affected by the concentration of substrate. The Clark-style dissolved oxygen electrode is an example of this type of sensor. However biosensors usually incorporate a bioactive material (sometimes an enzyme-containing layer) that is used to catalyse a particular reaction that converts the analyte to a substrate that can be measured by the sensor.You need to ensure that the amplifier you choose can provide the polarising voltage required, and that the input sensitivity will be appropriate for the current range that you expect your sensor to produce.
The eDAQ Potentiostat, Picostat and QuadStat can be useful for sensor development when both polarising voltage and input sensitivity will need to be varies over a large range to find the optimum conditions.
If techniques such as cyclic voltammetry or differential pulse voltammetry are required then EChem software can be used with e-corder and the Potentiostat or Picostat.
For flow systems PowerChrom and e-corder with Chart software are compatible with many commerical electrochemical HPLC detectors.
Potentiometric sensors
These sensors change potential (voltage) as the concentration of the substrate is varied. They often require the use of a separate reference electrode and can usually be monitored with the pH Amp and e-corder.Most sensors produce potentials in the range ±1 V, while a few might require ±2 V so most pH meters would be suitable measuring devices, however make sure they have provision for fitting a separate reference electrode if required, and that they provide a recorder signal that can be sent to the e-corder.
Mass sensors
These usually comprise quartz crystal technology where the surface adsorbed species alter the frequency of vibration of the quartz crystal. The frequency change is measured with a 'quartz crystal microbalance', QCM, which often provides an analog signal suitable for monitoring with e-corder. The surface adsorption is usually designed to be caused by an antibody/antigen interaction.Other sensors
Other types of sensor are based on field effect transistors (FET's), conductiometric or impedance devices, or fluorescence signals. These sensors may also be monitored with e-corder so long as the appropriate amplifier/meter provides an analog voltage (or "recorder") signal.Monitoring signals
For monitoring the signals from most sensors e-corder systems can be used with Chart software or PowerChrom software. The PowerChrom system is also avalable wich uses the PowerChrom software with its own special purpose-built recording hardware.
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