System and method for identifying and cleaning contamination of an electrochemical sensor

A method for identifying contamination of an electrochemical sensor, the method comprising:

• scanning the electrochemical sensor a first time using cyclic voltammetry (CV) before the electrochemical sensor has been employed;
• generating a reference set of readings from the first CV scan;
• scanning the electrochemical sensor a second time, using a similar scan to the first CV scan, after the electrochemical sensor has been employed;
• comparing a second set of readings from the second CV scan to the reference set of readings;
• when the second set of readings is different from the reference set of readings, determining that the electrochemical sensor potential has shifted;
• scanning the electrochemical sensor a third time, at a different rate from the first CV scan, to at least partially clean one or more elements of the electrochemical sensor;
• scanning the electrochemical sensor a fourth time, using a similar scan to the first CV scan;
• comparing a fourth set of readings from the fourth CV scan to the second set of readings;
• and
• when the fourth set of readings is different from the second set of readings and closer to the reference set of readings, determining that the potential of the electrochemical sensor has shifted due to pollution of the electrochemical sensor.

An electrochemical sensor comprising:

• a housing;
• an electrolyte disposed within the housing;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes in contact with the electrolyte within the housing, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise a working electrode, a counter electrode;
• a control circuitry configured to:
• scan the electrochemical sensor a first time using cyclic voltammetry (CV) before the electrochemical sensor has been employed, thereby generating a reference set of readings from the first CV scan;
• scan the electrochemical sensor a second time, using a similar scan to the first CV scan, after the electrochemical sensor has been employed, wherein a second set of readings from the second CV scan is compared to the to the reference set of readings;
• when the second set of readings is different from the reference set of readings, scan the electrochemical sensor a third time, at a different rate from the first CV scan, to at least partially clean one or more elements of the electrochemical sensor;
• scan the electrochemical sensor a fourth time, using a similar scan to the first CV scan, wherein a fourth set of readings from the fourth CV scan is compared to the second set of readings;
• and
• when the fourth set of readings is different from the second set of readings and closer to the reference set of readings, determine that the potential of the electrochemical sensor has shifted due to pollution of the electrochemical sensor.

A method for identifying contamination of an electrochemical sensor, the method comprising:

• scanning the electrochemical sensor a first time using cyclic voltammetry (CV) before the electrochemical sensor has been employed;
• generating a reference set of readings from the first CV scan;
• scanning the electrochemical sensor a second time, using a similar scan to the first CV scan, after the electrochemical sensor has been employed;
• comparing a second set of readings from the second CV scan to the reference set of readings;
• when the second set of readings is different from the reference set of readings, determining that the electrochemical sensor potential has shifted;
• scanning the electrochemical sensor a third time, at a different rate from the first CV scan, to at least partially clean one or more elements of the electrochemical sensor;
• scanning the electrochemical sensor a fourth time, using a similar scan to the first CV scan;
• comparing a fourth set of readings from the fourth CV scan to the second set of readings;
• and
• determining at least one of:
• that the potential of the electrochemical sensor has shifted due to pollution of the electrochemical sensor, or that the electrochemical sensor can be further cleaned.