Sensors

There are many situations in which we want to monitor the level of a chemical in a system. Examples include the amount of glucose in blood (for diabetics) to the quantity of a toxic gas in the environment (e.g. hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide or hydrogen cyanide). One of the most direct ways this can be achieved is through detecting the chemical at an electrode surface through an oxidation or reduction reaction. By understanding how these interfacial process operate at the most basic level we can work towards the development of new and ever more sensitive quantification methods. Recent analysis projects include:

• Measuring the pH of blood samples with the aim of helping to diagnose fetal distress.^[1]
• Investigating the extent to which psychiatric conditions may alter the level of glutathione in patient salivary samples.^[2]
• Development of a new analytical technique capable of rapidly and reliably providing a measure of the surface area of graphene and graphene oxide samples in the solution phase.^[3]

References

[1]Chaisiwamongkhol, K. and Batchelor-Mcauley, C. and Compton, R.G. Optimising amperometric pH sensing in blood samples: An iridium oxide electrode for blood pH sensing,
Analyst 2019 View Article »

[2]Ngamchuea, K. and Batchelor-McAuley, C. and Williams, C. and Godlewska, B.R. and Sharpley, A.L. and Cowen, P.J. and Compton, R.G. Salivary glutathione in bipolar disorder: A pilot study,
Journal of Affective Disorders 2018 View Article »

[3]Chen, L. and Batchelor-McAuley, C. and Rasche, B. and Johnston, C. and Hindle, N. and Compton, R.G. Surface area measurements of graphene and graphene oxide samples: Dopamine adsorption as a complement or alternative to methylene blue?,
Applied Materials Today 2020 View Article »