Analyte detection by means of an analyte-responsive polymer

Claim 1

An optical method for the detection and/or measurement of the concentration of protons present in a liquid medium, the method comprising: a. contacting an optical detection system comprising a proton-responsive polymer coated on the surface of an optical sensor, with an analyte comprising protons to which said polymer is responsive whereby said polymer undergoes propagational changes in response to the presence of protons and wherein said polymer is an amphoteric polymer selected from the group consisting of amphoteric co- or terpolymers of pI between 5.0 to 8.0 of acrylic acid, alkyl methacrylate, and N,N-dimethyl-aminoethyl methacrylate; b. interfacing the system of step (a) with a means to detect changes in the light propagation of said polymer; c. detecting changes in the index of refraction of light at the surface of said polymer coated on an optical sensor whereby said propagational changes are measured; and d. correlating the propagational changes measured in step (c) with the presence, concentration, rate of production or consumption of protons.