Automated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay device with ONP-GP

Apparatus for conducting an electrochemical ELISA for a bioagent, protein or nucleic acid comprising:

• an examination cell;
• an electronic controller, said electronic controller including a programmed microprocessor, a start switch and a display;
• a sensor for electrically detecting the level of reporter present in said examination cell at any moment of time and supplying said detected level of reporter present at any moment in time to said electronic controller;
• said electronic controller for automatically producing a 1° Ab/bioagent/2° Ab-enz complex and depositing said complex in said examination cell and for subsequently depositing a substrate in said examination cell, wherein said substrate comprises o-nitrophenyl beta-D galactopyranoside;
• said electronic controller initiating assembly of the detected level of reporter present at each of a plurality of time intervals from said sensor;
• whereby insertion of said substrate into said examination cell when said bioagent is present in said examination cell produces an electrochemical redox recycling reaction inside said examination cell to produce levels of reporter that increases in level with the passage of time;
• said electronic controller further including an analysis program for analyzing the detected level of reporter at each of said plurality of time intervals and determining the concentration of bioagent present in said sample when said bioagent is present in said sample and displaying said concentration on said display.

Apparatus for conducting an electrochemical assay comprising:

• an electronic controller, said electronic controller including a programmed microprocessor, a start switch and a display;
• an examination cell;
• a sensor for electrically detecting the level of reporter present in said examination cell at any moment of time and supplying said detected level of reporter present at any moment in time to said electronic controller;
• said electronic controller for automatically producing a complex of (a) a recognition molecule capable of specifically binding an analyte in a structure restricted manner, (b) an enzyme, and (c) a coupling element, for coupling with specificity the enzyme to the recognition molecule or the analyte, and depositing said complex in said examination cell and for subsequently depositing in said examination cell a substrate which in the presence of the enzyme is cleavable into a reporter molecule capable of exhibiting redox recycling, said substrate comprising o-nitrophenyl beta-D galactopyranoside;
• said electronic controller initiating assembly of the detected level of reporter present at each of a plurality of time intervals from said sensor;
• whereby insertion of said substrate into said examination cell when said analyte is present in said examination cell produces an electrochemical redox recycling reaction inside said examination cell to produce levels of reporter that increases in level with the passage of time;
• said electronic controller further including an analysis program for analyzing the detected level of reporter at each of said plurality of time intervals and determining the concentration of analyte present in said sample when said analyte is present in said sample and displaying said concentration on said display.