Applications of Ion Selective Electrodes

Enzyme sensor for organophosphorus insecticides organophosphorus hydrolase in a polymer membrane on a pH sensor is used to catalyse the hydrolysis of compounds with phoshate ester functionality. The detected [H+] change is proportional to the concentration of the phosphate ester insecticide. This is a good example of the use of an enzyme to give selectivity to a specific class of compounds. Unfortunately, some unknown component of soil interfered. This paper also provides a good example of modern electrode fabrication techniques. You don’t need to study the construction, but do need to recognized that simplicity, mass production, and low cost are significant advantages of electrochemical methods.