Development of chemical sensors and their application to flow analysis systems

Flow analysis has many advantages concerning sensitivity, accuracy, repeatability and analytical throughput etc, compared with a batchwise analysis. The flow-based method makes the involved analytical processes automatic and rapid. Therefore, the combination of a chemical sensor with the flow method enhances the performances of the chemical sensor. Especially, potentiometric detection using ion-selective electrodes has been widely used in flow analysis due to its features, simplicity in analytical operation and wide dynamic range in analysis. This paper reports on several chemical sensors applied to flow systems that we have engaged so far concerning: (1) Liquid membrane type ion-selective electrodes, such as nitrate, vitamin Bi, tetrafluoroborate and surfactants sensitive electrodes based on an oleophilic anion exchange resin membrane and a hydrophobic ion exchanger. (2) Flow titration by using both a buffer solution and its corresponding electrode, such as a pH glass electrode with a pH buffer, a cupper (II) ion-selective electrode with a metal ion buffer solution and a redox electrode with a potential buffer solution. (3) Surface plasmon resonance sensors for succarides and some endocrine disrupting chemicals based on a boronic acid polymer membrane and antigen or antibody immobilized membrane. (4) Sequential injection analysis combined with beads injection technique for vitellogenin as biomarker for assessing the pollution of environment in hydrosphere.