Chemical Sensors and Their Relevance to Clinical Measurement

Abstract

The concept of a bedside monitor capable of performing rapid, accurate and reagentless analyses in undiluted biological fluids is highly attractive. Such concepts have been awoken in many minds in recent years, as reflected by the large and rapidly expanding volume of literature in the chemical and biosensors field. An apparently unending stream of novel systems are reported for detecting species of diagnostic or medical importance. Frequently, however, these have been optimised under assay conditions which poorly address the compatibility problems associated with introducing sensor devices into biological matrices. As a consequence, few of the described systems have achieved practical clinical status. This article describes principles and problems of medically relevant chemical sensors and assesses likely future developments in the field.