This application features a method of forming a nanoporous layer. The method includes steps of reducing metal ions in a reverse micelle phase composition to form nanoparticles, removing surfactant from the composition to form clusters of the nanoparticles, dispensing the composition including the nanoparticle clusters dispersed in a liquid on a substrate, and drying to form the nanoporous layer. The nanoporous layer includes nanoparticles deposited to form a three dimensional network of irregularly shaped bodies. The nanoporous layer also includes a three dimensional network of intercluster spaces that are not occupied by the three dimensional network of irregularly shaped bodies.

This disclosure relates to a glucose-sensing electrode including a nanoporous metal layer and an electrolyte ion-blocking layer formed over the nanoporous metal layer. The nanoporous metal layer is capable of oxidizing both glucose and maltose without an enzyme specific to glucose in the glucose-sensing electrode. The electrolyte ion-blocking layer is configured to inhibit Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, Ca.sup.2+, Cl.sup.−, PO.sub.4.sup.3− and CO.sub.3.sup.2− from diffusing toward the nanoporous metal layer such that there is a substantial discontinuity of a combined concentration of Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, Ca.sup.2+, Cl.sup.−, PO.sub.4.sup.3− and CO.sub.3.sup.2− between over and below the electrolyte ion-blocking layer.

A measuring device includes: a first electrode and a second electrode immersed in sample water stored in a measuring tank; a motor that rotates the first electrode; and a controller that operates, based on measurement results of current flowing through the sample water, in a measuring mode. In the measuring mode, the controller calculates a concentration of a measurement target in the sample water. The motor changes a rotational velocity of the motor.

A measuring device includes: a first electrode immersed in sample water stored in a measuring tank; a second electrode immersed in the sample water; and a controller that: causes a power source to flow a current through the sample water between the first electrode and the second electrode; detects, based on a first digital signal, an interruption whereby an analog signal fluctuates by no less than a predetermined value; and calculates, based on a second digital signal, a concentration of a measurement target in the sample water. The first digital signal is acquired by sampling the analog signal with a first sampling period. The analog signal is based on the current flowing through the sample water. The second digital signal is acquired by sampling the analog signal with a second sampling period that is longer than the first sampling period.

An embodiment provides a device for measuring pH in an aqueous sample, including: a primary electrode comprising a boron doped diamond-based electrode and a primary carbon region comprising a pH sensitive sp2 carbon region, wherein the primary carbon region comprises a portion of the surface area of a face of the primary electrode; a secondary electrode comprising a boron doped diamond-based electrode and a secondary carbon region, wherein the secondary carbon region comprises a portion of the surface area of a face of the secondary electrode, the portion of the surface area of a face of the secondary electrode being less than the portion of the surface area of a face of the primary electrode; at least one reference electrode; at least one auxiliary electrode; and a memory storing instructions executable by a processor to identify a pH of an aqueous sample by measuring an electrical potential between the at least one reference electrode and at least one of: the primary electrode and the secondary electrode. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Various methods, devices, and systems for determining the concentration of infectious agent in a target sample are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for determining the concentration of an infectious agent of an unknown strain can include diluting aliquots of a target sample comprising the infectious agent by different dilution factors to yield diluted samples. The method can also include determining the time it takes a solution characteristic of each of the diluted samples to undertake a predetermined threshold change. The method can also include determining the concentration of the infectious agent of the unknown strain by taking into account the different dilution factors, the monitored times, and certain curve fitting parameters calculated from predetermined calibration curves generated for infectious agents of different known strains.

A system and a method for redox analysis. Upstream redox potentials are obtained from an upstream sensor apparatus in an upstream flow of an aqueous solution. Upstream chemical parameters are detected based on the upstream redox potentials. Downstream redox potentials are obtained from a downstream sensor apparatus. Each sensor apparatus measures redox potentials as a result of one or more reduced or oxidised chemical species in the aqueous solution. Instructions for processing of the downstream redox potentials are generated based on the detected upstream chemical parameter. The generated instructions instructing to test whether the downstream redox potentials indicate a successive downstream chemical parameter, wherein the successive downstream chemical parameter has evolved in a known chemical manner from the detected upstream chemical parameter. The one or more downstream redox potentials are processed based on the generated instructions.

A dialysis system for determining an amount of total chlorine in a partially purified water sample is disclosed. The system includes a water machine that produces at least partially purified water including an at least partially purified water sample and a dialysis machine that provides a dialysis treatment to a patient. The dialysis machine receives the at least partially purified water from the water machine to prepare dialysis fluid for the dialysis treatment. The system also includes a total chlorine detector configured to receive the at least partially purified water sample, at a first time apply a source voltage to the at least partially purified water sample, and at a second time stop applying the source voltage to the at least partially purified water sample and instead monitor a sensed electrical parameter to determine an amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample.

This disclosure relates to a glucose-sensing electrode including a nanoporous metal layer and a maltose-blocking layer formed over the nanoporous metal layer. The nanoporous metal layer is capable of oxidizing both glucose and maltose without an enzyme specific to glucose or maltose in the glucose-sensing electrode. The maltose-blocking layer has porosity that permits glucose to pass therethrough and inhibits maltose from passing therethrough toward the nanoporous metal layer.

A sensor is configured to sense a parameter of an aqueous liquid. The sensor has an analog output port configured to provide an analog signal indicative of a sensed parameter, and a calibration memory device storing individual digital information indicative of a calibration of the sensor. A digital output port provides a digital signal indicative of the digital information. A treatment system and method is matched to the sensor.