Membrane enhanced sensors

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the analyte is at least one of the following:
• a steroid hormone, a drug, or a peptide.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the hydrophobic barrier has an octanol and water log10 (Partition Coefficient) (logP) that is at least one of greater than −3, greater than −1, greater than 1, greater than 3, or greater than 5, or wherein the hydrophobic barrier has an analyte logP that is at least one of the following:
• between −1 and 1, between −3 and 3, or between −5 and 5.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the hydrophobic barrier is comprised of a fluid with a solubility limit in the sample solution that is at least one of less than 500 micrograms of the fluid per gram of the sample solution, less than 50 micrograms of the fluid per gram of sample solution, less than 5 micrograms of the fluid per gram of the sample solution, or less than 0.5 micrograms of the fluid per gram of the sample solution.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the hydrophobic barrier is comprised of a plurality of miscible oils or a plurality of immiscible oils.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the hydrophobic barrier is comprised of at least one surfactant.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the hydrophobic barrier is comprised of a fluid that at 72 degrees fahrenheit will not evaporate for at least one of greater than 24 hours, greater than 1 week, greater than 1 month, or greater than 1 year.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the hydrophobic barrier is at least partially comprised of a fluid with a viscosity that is at least one of less than 1000 centipoise, less than 100 centipoise, or less than 10 centipoise.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• and
• one or more spacers between the one or more sensors and the hydrophobic barrier.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the hydrophobic barrier is comprised of a plurality of layers, and wherein the plurality of layers is comprised of at least one solid material and at least one fluid material, wherein the solid material and fluid material are deposited in alternating layers.

A sensing device, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of an analyte in a sample;
• a sample solution that contains the analyte and one or more interfering solutes, wherein the interfering solute reduces a performance characteristic of the one or more sensors;
• a sensor solution in fluidic communication with the one or more sensors;
• a hydrophobic barrier that separates the sample solution from the one or more sensors, wherein the hydrophobic barrier is permeable to the analyte and impermeable to the interfering solute, and wherein the hydrophobic barrier is in fluidic communication with the sample solution and the sensor solution;
• wherein the one or more sensors is an enzymatic sensor;
• and
• wherein the sensor solution contains a co-factors, and said hydrophobic barrier is impermeable to the co-factor.