BIO CHEMICAL

MEASUREMENTS
 Chemical biosensors
Concentration of biochemical analytes in body

Electrical Signal
Also known as Electro chemical sensors
Function of an organ system depends on chemical input
& output analytes of body

Majorityof tests in hospital involves biochemical

measurements.
Types of chemical analytes

• Blood levels of pH , pCO2 , pO2

• Hematocrit
• Total Hemoglobin level
• O2 saturation
• Electrolytes –
• Metabolites – glucose, lactate, creatinine, urea

Na  , K  , Cl  , Ca 2
MEASUREMENT PH
 Blood gas analysers

pH : Concentration of hydrogen ions

pCO2: Partial pressure of carbon dioxide

pO2: Partial pressure of oxygen

• Mainly arterial blood sample is taken.

• To determine the acid base balance in the
body
• Sudden change in these values results in
Cardiac arrhythmia, ventricular hypertension and
may lead to death.
 pH Measurement

Concentration of hydrogen ions : Acidity or

alkalinity

H increases - Solution becomes acidic
H  decreases – Solution becomes more alkaline
pH : measure of concentration of H  ions
Defined as the negative logarithm of Hydrogen
ion activity

pH   log10 ( H )
Used for determining the acidity or alkalinity of
an aqueous solution
For arterial blood = 7.37-7.44 pH
Practical pH scale for industrial
instrumentation:

0 - 14 pH
H+ concentration increases :
pH = -log(H+): log value decreases: pH falls &
vice versa.

Decrease in pH- Metabolic / Respiratory Acidosis

Increase in pH- Metabolic / Respiratory Alkalosis

Normally,
pH of 7: Neutral solution (H2O)
pH of 8: Alkaline or base solution
pH of 6: Acidic solution
 pH Measurement
pH determination – By measuring the
potential difference between solutions of
different pH separated by a special glass
membrane with the glass electrode.

pH of one solution is maintained constant

irrespective of changes in the pH of the
unknown solution
pH Measurement
• Measuring system consists of a pH electrode and
reference electrode
• Potential difference between the two electrodes is a
function of the pH value of the measured solution
• Solution must be conductive and is part of the electrical
circuit
 Glass electrode

•Ion- specific electrode

•Potential of glass electrode by Nernst
equation 2.3036 RT
E  E0  .pH
E0 : Standard potential F
R : Gas constant
T: Absolute temperature
F : Faraday’s constant
ΔpH: pH value deviation from 7
E: Linear function of pH
Change of one pH unit : 58.2 mV at 20º C
and 62.2 mV at 40º C

If Temperature increases pH also increases

(2.3036RT/F): slope factor and dependent

on solution temperature
Principle
Basic pH measurement set up
 pH Temperature Slope
500
Acids = Positive mV Signal
400 Base = Negative mV Signal
300

200
7.0 pH = 0 mV Output
100 Sensor Output Changes with
mV

0
Temperature
-100
0

10

12

14

-200 0o C ~ 54.2 mV/pH

-300
25oC ~ 59.2 mV/pH
-400

-500 50oC ~ 64.1 mV/pH

pH
Sensor Output is Corrected to
0C 25C 50C 25oC with Automatic
Temperature Compensation
 Blood gas analysers

Partial pressure of oxygen : pO2

Partial pressure of carbon dioxide: pCO2

Both : Indication of respiratory function

PCO2 MEASUREMENT
 The measurement of pCO2 is based on
the fact that the relationship between
log pCO2 and pH is linear over the
range of 10 to 90 mmHg
 H 2O  CO2  H 2CO3  H   HCO3
Concentration of CO 2 dissolved in the blood is
directly proportional to pCO 2
 CO2   pCO2
 CO2   a  pCO2 
where a=0.0301 mmol/lit per mm Hg pCO 2
 H    HCO3 
k 
'

 H 2CO3 
 H 2CO3  is proportional to  CO2 
 H    HCO3 
k
 CO2 
k  Combined values of k' and the proportionality
constant between  H 2CO3  &  CO2 
 H    HCO3 
k
a  pCO2 
log k  log  H    log  HCO3   log a  log pCO2
 log  H    log  HCO3   log k  log a  log pCO2
pH  log  HCO3   log k  log a  log pCO2
This shows pH has a linear dependance on the negative of log pCO 2
 Measurement of pCO2

Modification in pH glass electrode

Thin Teflon or silicon rubber membrane: CO2
permeable membrane over the glass
membrane of pH electrode

Thin film of water between membrane and

glass membrane of pH electrode
 pO2 measurement
pO2 electrode : Clark electrode

Cathode : Platinum cathode

Anode : Silver/silver chloride

Both are placed in a sodium chloride

electrolyte solution

Voltage of 0.7 V (0.6 to 0.8 V) is applied

•  The polarographic (Clark) oxygen electrode measures the
oxygen partial pressure in a blood or gas sample.
• A platinum cathode and a silver/silver chloride anode are
placed in a sodium chloride electrolyte solution, and a voltage
of 700 mv is applied.

The following reactions occur.

• At the cathode:

• In the electrolyte:

• At the anode:
• Electrons are taken up at the cathode and the current

generated is proportional to number of oxygen molecules in

the solution.
• A membrane separates the electrode from blood, preventing

deposition of protein but allowing the oxygen tension in the

blood to equilibrate with the electrolyte solution.
• The electrode is kept at a constant temperature of 37°C and

regular checks of the membrane are required to ensure it is

not perforated or coated in proteins.
Clark electrode
Plateau region

0.7