MICROFABRICATED SENSOR ARRAYS SENSITIVE TO PH AND K+ FOR IONIC DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENTS IN THE BEATING HEART

Thick-film H+- and K+-selective sensor arrays based on solvent polymeric neutral carrier membranes are described, The sensor away design and construction allow inexpensive and mass production of disposable miniaturized probes useful in the biomedical held, especially for cardiovascular research and monitoring. They are also suitable for use as multisensor electrochemical detectors within modern now injection analysis instrumentation. The carriers used for membrane preparation are H+-selective ETH 5294 chromoionophore and the well-known K+-selective ionophore, valinomycin. The preliminary in vivo experiments, to monitor H+ and K+ ionic distribution in the beating pig heart, help to determine the unique ionic conduction responsible for ventricullar fibrillation in the setting of acute regional myocardial ischemia.