The use of gold bands for flow immunoelectrochemical devices

Gold bands sputtered over a polymeric material, Kapton, have been employed not only for electrochemical detection but also for the development of enzyme immunoassays in a flow system. The immunological interactions on bands acting as reactors are considered for a model analyte, IgM. Different formats of flow immunoassays, competitive and non-competitive, have been checked. Compared with previous results, automation gives rise to in a reduction in analysis time and in reagent consumption. Lower limits of detection are also obtained. Detection, which is also carried out in the flow system, is based on the oxidation of naphthol, the product of the enzymatic hydrolysis of naphthyl-phosphate.