ELECTROANALYTICAL AND BIOCOMPATIBILITY STUDIES ON MICROFABRICATED ARRAY SENSORS

pH, potassium and calcium ion-selective membranes based on neutral ion ophores TDDA, valinomycin and ETH-1001, respectively and immobilized i n high molecular weight (HMW) and carboxylated poly(vinyl chloride) (P VC-COOH) as well as in aliphatic polyurethane (Tecoflex) matrices with normal and reduced amounts of plasticizers were investigated with res pect of their general analytical properties, biocompatibility and cell ular responses. The analytical performance of the PVC-COOH based potas sium electrodes was not effected by reducing the plasticizer content f rom 66% (w/w) to 33% (w/w) while that of pH electrodes was significant ly deteriorated at the lower plasticizer level. High molecular weight PVC and Tecoflex membranes with low plasticizer content induce less in flammatory response compared to membranes cast with high plasticizer c oncentrations or PVC-COOH as matrix. o-NPOE plasticized membranes are correlated with an increased acute, but a decreased chronic inflammato ry response, when compared to membranes cast with DOS as plasticizer.