A single electrode assembly, consisting of a platinum wire (20- or 25-
mu m diameter) microelectrode and a palladium coating (as auxiliary/ps
eudo-reference electrode) on the glass tubing housing the microelectro
de, has been utilized as a flow amperometric sensor for water-soluble
polymers. An ordinary 3-V dry cell was used as voltage source. Amounts
of injected polymer were in the range 0.01-260 mu g. The detector per
formance was superior to that of a differential refractive index detec
tor in terms of limits of detection (sub-mu g levels of polymer), base
line stability, and reproducibility of analytical signal.