Methods of monitoring fluid samples using multi-dimensional fluid sensors

Abstract

The present invention provides multi-dimensional sensors with fluidic flow channels for processing fluid samples.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of monitoring fluid samples for detecting waterborne or airborne toxins or pathogens, comprising:
 providing a sensor body having a plurality of spaced apart fluidic flow channels, with the flow channels comprising at least one sensor having a set of vertically stacked electrodes with aligned apertures that define at least a portion of the fluidic flow channels;   flowing fluid samples through the fluidic flow channels; and   electronically detecting when a fluid sample tests positive for a selected analyte based on an output of the at least one sensor in a respective fluid channel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic flow channels comprise a plurality of different sensors configured to test for different pathogens or toxins, and wherein the flowing step comprises serially flowing a respective fluid sample through a plurality of different fluidic flow channels in the sensor body. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the different sensors are configured to test for different pathogens or toxins 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the different sensors are configured to test for different toxins. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vertically stacked electrodes comprise at least one working electrode, a reference electrode and a counter electrode, with each of the working, reference and counter electrodes positioned one above another and isolated by an electrical insulator therebetween and having aligned apertures that define at least a part of a fluidic flow channel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the working electrode has an inner wall that surrounds and defines the working electrode aperture, and wherein at least a portion of the working electrode inner wall comprises a predetermined material analyte for contacting a sample flowing through a respective fluidic flow channel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined material comprises a bioactive material of one or more of the following: an antibody, an antigen, a nucleic acid, a peptide nucleic acid, a ligand, a receptor, avidin, biotin, Protein A, Protein G, Protein L, a substrate for an enzyme and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid channels are microfluidic fluid flow channels.