Bio-potential Electrodes

Bio-potential
Sources of bio-potential
Nerve conduction
Brain activity
Heart Beat
Muscle activity

Depends on dimensions
Anatomical
Bio electric generator

What are biopotentials

Biopotential: An electric potential that is measured between points in living cells,

tissues, and organisms, and which accompanies all biochemical processes.
transfer of information between and within cells
measurement of potentials

Electrodes Requirement
High-quality bio-potential measurements require
Good amplifier design
Use of good electrodes and their proper placement on the
patient
Good laboratory and clinical practices
Electrodes should be chosen according to the application
Basic electrode structure includes:
The body and casing
Electrode made of high-conductivity material
Wire connector
Cavity or similar for electrolytic gel
Adhesive rim

Half Cell Potential

A characteristic potential difference established by the
electrode and its surrounding electrolyte which depends on
the metal, concentration of ions in solution and temperature
(and some second order factors) .
Half cell potential cannot be measured without a
second electrode.
The half cell potential of the standard hydrogen electrode
has been arbitrarily set to zero. Other half cell potentials
are expressed as a potential difference with this electrode.
Reason for Half Cell Potential : Charge Separation at Interface
Oxidation or reduction reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface lead
to a double-charge layer, similar to that which exists along electrically
active biological cell membranes.

Some half cell

potentials

Standard Hydrogen
electrode
Note: Ag-AgCl has low
junction potential & it is
also very stable -> hence
used in ECG electrodes!

Polarizable and Non-Polarizable

Electrodes
Perfectly Polarizable Electrodes

Use for
recording

These are electrodes in which no actual charge crosses the

electrode-electrolyte interface when a current is applied. The
current across the interface is a displacement current and the
electrode behaves like a capacitor. Example : Ag/AgCl Electrode
Perfectly Non-Polarizable Electrode
These are electrodes where current passes freely across the
electrode-electrolyte interface, requiring no energy to make
the transition. These electrodes see no over potentials. Example :
Platinum electrode
Use for
stimulation

Motion Artifact
Why
When the electrode moves with respect to the
electrolyte, the distribution of the double layer of charge on
polarizable electrode interface changes. This changes the half
cell potential temporarily.
What
If a pair of electrodes is in an electrolyte and one moves
with respect to the other, a potential difference appears
across the electrodes known as the motion artifact. This is
a source of noise and interference in biopotential
measurements
Motion artifact is minimal for non-polarizable electrodes

Body Surface Recording Electrodes

1.Metal Plate
Electrodes
2.Suction Electrode
3.Floating Electrodes
4.Flexible Electrodes

Metal plate electrodes

Large surface: Ancient,

therefore still used, ECG
Metal disk with stainless
steel; platinum or gold coated
For EMG, EEG electrodes
smaller diameters
motion artifacts
Disposable foam-pad:
(a) Metal-plate electrode used for application to
limbs.
(b) Metal-disk electrode applied with surgical tape.
(c)Disposable foam-pad electrodes, often used

Suction electrodes

No straps or adhesives
required
- precordial (chest) ECG
- used for short periods
-

Suction
Electrode

Floating Electrodes
Insulating
package
Double-sided
Adhesive-tape
ring
(a)

Features

Metal disk

Electrolyte gel
in recess
(b)

Reusable

External snap
Snap coated with Ag-AgCl
Gel-coated sponge
Disposable
Plastic cup
Plastic disk

swimming in the
electrolyte gel
not in contact with
Dead cellular material
Tack
the skin
Foam padCapillary loops
Germinating layer
reduces motion
(c)
artifact
metal disk is
recessed

Flexible electrodes

Body contours are often irregular

- Regularly shaped rigid
electrodes
may not always work.
- Special case : infants
- Material :
- Polymer or nylon with
silver
- Carbon filled silicon rubber

(a) Carbon-filled silicone rubber

electrode.
(b) Flexible thin-film neonatal
electrode.

Ag-AgCl, Silver-Silver Chloride

Electrodes
The most commonly used electrode type
Silver is interfaced with its salt silver-chloride
Choice of materials helps to reduce junction
potentials
Junction potentials are the result of the dissimilar
electrolytic interfaces

Electrolytic gel enhances conductivity and

also reduces junction potentials
Typically based on sodium or potassium chloride,
concentration in the order of 0.1 M weak enough to
not irritate the skin

Relatively low-cost and general purpose

electrode
Particularly suited for ambulatory or long term use

Gold Electrodes

Very high conductivity suitable for low-noise .

Inertness suitable for reusable electrodes
Body forms cavity which is filled with electrolytic gel
Compared to Ag-AgCL: greater expense, higher
junction potentials and motion artifacts
Often used in EEG, sometimes in EMG

Needle electrodes

Obviously invasive electrodes

Used when measurements have to be taken from the organ itself
Small signals such as motor unit potentials can be measured
Needle is often a steel wire with hooked tip

Internal Electrodes
Needle and wire
electrodes for
percutaneous
measurement of
biopotentials
(a) Insulated needle
electrode.
(b) Coaxial needle
electrode.
(c) Bipolar coaxial
electrode.
(d) Fine-wire electrode
connected
to hypodermic needle,
before
being inserted.
(e) Cross-sectional view of

Microelectrodes
Why
Measure potential difference across cell membrane
Requirements
Small enough to be placed into cell
Intracellular
Strong enough to penetrate cell membrane
Extracellular
Typical tip diameter: 0.05 10 microns
Types
Solid metal -> Tungsten microelectrodes
Supported metal (metal contained within/outside glass needle)
Glass micropipette -> with Ag-AgCl electrode metal

Metal Microelectrodes
C

Microns!

Extracellular recording typically in brain where you

are interested in recording the firing of neurons
(spikes).
Use metal electrode+insulation -> goes to high
impedance amplifier

Metal Supported Microelectrodes

(a) Metal inside glass

(b) Glass inside metal

Glass Micropipette
heat
pull

Ag-AgCl
wire+3M KCl
has very low
junction
potential and
hence very
accurate for dc
measurements
(e.g. action
potential)

A glass micropipet electrode

filled with an electrolytic
solution
(a) Section of fine-bore
glass capillary.
(b) Capillary narrowed
through heating and
Fill with
stretching.
intracellular
fluid or 3M KCl
(c) Final structure of glasspipet microelectrode.
Intracellular recording typically for recording from cells, such as
cardiac myocyte
Need high impedance amplifier

Preparation for Electrodes

Skin preparation by abrasion or cleansing

Placement close to the source being measured
Placement above bony structures where there is less muscle mass
Distinguishing features of different electrodes:
How secure? The structure and the use of strong but less irritant adhesives
How conductive? Use of noble metals vs. cheaper materials
How prone to artifact? Use of low-junction-potential materials
such as Ag-AgCl
If electrolytic gel is used, how is it applied? High conductivity gels can help
reduce the junction potentials and resistance but tend to be more allergenic or
irritating

Baseline drift due to the

changes in junction
potential or motion artifacts
Choice of electrodes
Electromagnetic
interference
Shielding

Muscle signal
interference
Placement

Electrical Properties of electrodes

Electrode Skin Interface

Ehe
Electrode

10
0

Cd

10
0

Nerve
endings

Rd

Gel

Stratum Corneum
Epidermis

Dermis and
subcutaneous layer

Capillary

Skin impedance for 1cm2 patch:

200k @1Hz
200 @ 1MHz

Ce

Rs

Sweat glands
and ducts

Ese

EP

Re

Ru

CP

RP

The Instrumentation
Amplifier

Potentially combines the best features desirable for biopotential

measurements
High differential gain, low common mode gain, high CMRR, high input resistance

Simple and cheap, although high-quality OpAmps with high CMRR should
be used
G2
G1 1 2

R2
R1

R4
R3

Gain control

CMRR fine tuning

Application-specific
ECG amplifier requirements
Lower corner frequency 0.05 Hz, upper 100Hz
Safety and protection: leakage current below safety standard
limit of 10 uA
Electrical isolation from the power line and the earth ground
Protection against high defibrillation voltages

EEG amplifier
Gain must deal with microvolt or lower levels of signals
Components must have low thermal and electronic noise @ the
front end
Otherwise similar to ECG

EMG amplifier
Slightly enhanced amplifier BW suffices
Post-processing circuits are almost always needed (e.g. rectifier
+ integrator)

Electro cardiogram