Analytical element and method for preventing reagent migration

摘要

The invention provides an analytical element and a method for preparing an analytical element for evaluation of a liquid sample with respect to a particular analyte by (a) incorporating a carrier with a composition in a liquid, the composition comprising at least one reagent of an analyte-detecting system, under conditions effective to ionize a reagent migration inhibiting substance, which substance is insoluble in said liquid when in its nonionized form and soluble in said liquid when ionized, and drying the carrier; and then (b) incorporating the carrier of (a) with a second composition in a liquid different from that of (a), the composition comprising the remaining reagents of the analyte-detecting system which are reactive with the at least one reagent of (a) and a reagent migration inhibiting substance which is soluble in said liquid when in its nonionized form, which liquid is effective to prevent reaction of the second composition with the at least one reagent of (a) prior to contact of the element with the sample and to prevent the migration inhibiting substance from ionizing prior to contact with the sample, and drying the carrier. Preferably, conditions which ionize the reagent migration inhibiting substance are the use of an aqueous liquid at a pH of at least about 5. Preferably, the reagent migration inhibiting substance is a monoester maleic acid polymer such as a copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and the monomethylester of maleic acid. The liquid of (b) is preferably an organic liquid, such as acetone.