A method for the manufacture of single barrel liquid ion-selective microelectrodes: an in situ study of ant venom pH.

A method for the manufacture of single barrel ion-sensitive microelectrodes, employing liquid ion-selective sensors, is described in detail. This method had proven reliable and repeatable for the manufacture of pH-sensitive microelectrodes using a liquid proton carrier. It is believed that this method has advantages over other published methods since it allows direct visualization and control of major steps during electrode fabrication and overcomes several problems often encountered using more conventional methods. Microelectrodes fabricated using this technique have been used to measure the in situ pH of venom from two myrmicine ants, Tetramorium caespitum (L.) and Myrmica ruginodis (N.).