Electrochemical probe

A method of determining an ion concentration in solution, the method comprising in sequential order the steps of

• (a) providing an electrode array comprising at least two conductive elements electrically isolated against each other each of said at least two conductive elements having an exposed conductive surface;
• a junction element comprising an absorbent material and an electrolyte;
• a measuring device capable of measuring voltages between the conductive elements comprised in the electrode array;
• and connecting means for connecting the electrode array and the measuring device;
• (b) (b′) submersing the electrode array and the junction element in a liquid and connecting it to the measuring device;
• or
• (b″) submersing the electrode array connected to the measuring device in a liquid;
• (c) obtaining a voltage value for each of the conductive elements comprised in the electrode array by using the measuring device;
• and
• (d) performing statistical analysis of the voltage values obtained in step (c) to identify any deviating conductive element, and to calculate an average reference voltage,
• wherein steps (a), (b), (c), and (d) are performed in sequential order.

A method of determining an ion concentration in solution, the method comprising in sequential order the steps of

• (a) providing an electrode array comprising at least two conductive elements electrically isolated against each other each of said at least two conductive elements having an exposed conductive surface;
• a junction element comprising an absorbent material and an electrolyte;
• a measuring device capable of measuring voltages between the conductive elements comprised in the electrode array;
• and connecting means for connecting the electrode array and the measuring device;
• (b) (b′) submersing the electrode array and the junction element in a liquid and connecting it to the measuring device;
• or
• (b″) submersing the electrode array connected to the measuring device in a liquid;
• (c) obtaining a voltage value for each of the conductive elements comprised in the electrode array by using the measuring device;
• and
• (d) performing statistical analysis of the voltage values obtained in step (c) to identify any deviating conductive element, and to calculate an average reference voltage,
• wherein steps (a), (b), (c), and (d) are performed in sequential order;
• said method further comprising
• (e) providing an electrochemical sensor that is an ion-sensitive field-effect transistor in an aqueous ion solution;
• (f) subsequently taking a voltage measurement from the electrochemical sensor;
• and
• (g) using a calculation device to determine the ion concentration on basis of the average reference voltage obtained in step (d) and the voltage measurement of step (f),
• wherein steps (a) to (f) may be performed in any order provided that
• (i) steps (a) to (d) are performed sequentially;
• (ii) steps (f) and (g) are performed sequentially;
• and
• (iii) step (g) is performed after any of steps (a) to (f).