Electrochemical sensor

1. An amperometric electrochemical sensor for detecting an analyte, the sensor comprising:

an electrode;

a redox active species that is bound to the electrode by a species that is a conduit for electron movement and is electrochemically accessible to the electrode; and

a binding moiety capable of associating with the analyte;

wherein the association of the binding moiety with the analyte affects the electrochemistry of the redox active species.

2. The electrochemical sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the analyte is an antibody, and wherein:

the binding moiety is capable of becoming bound to the antibody; and

wherein binding of the antibody to the binding moiety affects the electrochemistry of the redox active species.

3. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the binding moiety is at least part of an antigen.

4. The sensor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the binding moiety comprises an epitope capable of becoming bound to the antibody.

5. The sensor as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the binding moiety consists of the epitope.

6. The sensor as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the epitope is chemically synthesised.

7. The sensor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the binding moiety consists of an antigen to which the antibody binds.

8. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the binding moiety is bound to the redox active species.

9. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the binding moiety is at least part of biotin or endosulfan.

10. The electrochemical sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the analyte is an antigen, and wherein:

the binding moiety is an antibody capable of binding to the antigen; and

wherein detachment of the antibody from the sensor affects the electrochemistry of the redox active species.

11. The sensor as claimed in claim 10 , which further comprises at least part of an antigen, wherein the binding moiety is bound to the at least part of an antigen.

12. The sensor as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least part of an antigen comprises an epitope of the antigen.

13. The sensor as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least part of an antigen is bound to the redox active species.

14. The sensor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the binding moiety is an anti-biotin or antiendosulfan antibody.

15. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the species that is a conduit for electron movement is a molecular wire or a nanotube.

16. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the redox active species is a ferrocene moiety.

17. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a glassy carbon electrode.

18. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , which Further comprises blocking agents bound to the electrode.

19. The sensor as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the blocking agents are polyethylene glycol moieties.

20. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a detector capable of detecting changes in the electrochemistry of the redox active species as a result of the association of the binding moiety with the analyte.

21. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an electrical power source and a display for displaying electrochemical readings from the electrode.

22. A method for detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample, the method comprising the steps of:

exposing to the sample the electrochemical sensor of claim 1 ; and

taking amperometric electrochemical measurements which indicate whether there is a change in the electrochemistry of the redox active species as a result of association of the binding moiety with the analyte.

23. A method for detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample, the method comprising the steps of:

exposing to the sample a binding moiety capable of becoming associated with the analyte, the binding moiety being associated with a redox active species that is bound to the electrode by a species that is a conduit for electron movement and is electrochemically accessible to the electrode; and

taking amperometric electrochemical measurements which indicate whether there is a change in the electrochemistry of the redox active species as a result of association of the binding moiety with the analyte.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the analyte is an antibody and wherein the binding moiety is capable of becoming bound to the antibody, the method further comprising the step of:

taking electrochemical measurements which indicate whether there is a change in the electrochemistry of the redox active species as a result of the antibody binding to the binding moiety.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the binding moiety is bound to the redox active species.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the binding moiety, redox active species and electrode are part of an electrochemical sensor.

27. The method as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the analyte is an antigen and wherein the binding moiety is an antibody capable of binding to the antigen, the method further comprising the step of:

taking electrochemical measurements which indicate whether there is a change in the electrochemistry of the redox active species as a result of the binding moiety disassociating from the redox active species.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the binding moiety is attached to the redox active species via at least part of an antigen to which the antibody is capable of binding.

29. The method as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the binding moiety, redox active species and electrode are part of an electrochemical sensor.

30. The method as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the electrochemical measurements are taken during association of the binding moiety with the analyte.

31. An electrode, wherein a redox active species is bound to the surface of the electrode by a species that is a conduit for electron movement and a binding moiety capable of associating with an analyte is associated with the redox active species, and wherein association of the binding moiety with the analyte affects the electrochemistry of the redox active species and is detectable by amperometric electrochemical measurements.

32. The electrode as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the binding moiety is bound to the redox active species.

33. The electrode as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the analyte is an antibody, and the binding moiety comprises at least part of an antigen.

34. The electrode as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the analyte is an antigen and the binding moiety is an antibody capable of binding to the antigen.

35. The electrode as claimed in claim 34 , which further comprises at least part of an antigen that is bound to the redox active species, wherein the antibody binding moiety is bound to the at least part of an antigen.