THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO DEVELOP A PRACTICAL MICROELECTRODE WHICH IS CAPABLE OF RELIABLY MEASURING LOCAL CARBON DIOXIDE AND OXYGEN TENSIONS CONCURRENTLY, IN TISSUE AND BODY FLUIDS.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO DEVELOP A PRACTICAL MICROELECTRODE WHICH IS CAPABLE OF RELIABLY MEASURING LOCAL CARBON DIOXIDE AND OXYGEN TENSIONS CONCURRENTLY, IN TISSUE AND BODY FLUIDS. CONTINUOUS IN-SITU MONITORING OF PCO(2) AND PO(2) CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN INTENSIVE CARE, OPERATING ROOMS, AND RESEARCH LABORATORIES. THE PRINCIPAL APPLICATIONS OF SUCH A DEVICE INCLUDE MANAGEMENT OF VENTILATION, ACID-BASE BALANCE, AND BASIC RESEARCH. THE PCO(2) MEASUREMENT IS BASED ON THE QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF "REDUCED-CO(2)" ABSORBED ON THE PT-BASED WORKING ELECTRODE. PO(2) IS OBTAINED BY MEASURING THE O(2) REDUCTION LIMITING CURRENT IN A WELL DEFINED POTENTIAL REGION. THE PCO(2) AND PO(2) MEASUREMENTS CAN BE MADE AT A HIGH SAMPLING RATE WITHOUT MUTUAL INTERFERENCE. THE PROPOSED MICROELECTRODE IS A FINE WIRE ELECTRODE (E.G. 25 MICRONS IN DIAMETER) WITH A SHARP TIP. GASES TO BE MEASURED PERMEATE THROUGH THE HYDROPHOBIC MEMBRANE COVERING THE TIP AND EQUILIBRATE WITH ELECTROLYTE BEHIND THIS HYDROPHOBIC LAYER. THE WORK PLANNEDIN PHASE I WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN TWO ITERATIVE STAGES. THEFIRST STAGE INVOLVES THE FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF MICROELECTRODES IN A NUMBER OF PRELIMINARY CONFIGURATIONS. IN THE SECOND STAGE, A FEW ELECTRODES WILL BE FABRICATED USING THE MOST PROMISING CONSTRUCTION DESIGN TO FURTHER REFINE THEIR OPERATING PARAMETERS.