Part I. A specific electrode for urea.

A specific simple enzyme stirrer electrode is described for the assay of urea in blood serum. The enzyme is placed directly on a magnetic stirrer and held in place with a nylon net. The enzyme stirrer both stirs the solution and effects an enzymatic transformation, permitting the direct assay of a substrate such as urea. Potassium, Na⁺ , NH₄⁺ and other organic and inorganic species present in blood do not interfere. Linear curves are obtained from 5· 10^-2M to 1· 10^-4M urea with slopes close to Nernstian, 0.95 pH/decade. Urea in blood was assayed with an accuracy of 1.8% and a precision of 2.0% with immobilized urease in the stirrer. The stirrers were used for 15 weeks and over 500 assays with excellent results.