Electrochemical test strips and methods for their use in the detection of
an analyte in a physiological sample are provided. The subject test
strips have a reaction zone defined by opposing metal electrodes
separated by a thin spacer layer. The metal surface of at least one of
the electrodes is modified by a homogenous surface modification layer
made up of linear self-assembling molecules having a first sulfhydryl end
group and a second sulfonate end group separated by a short chain alkyl
linking group, where 2-mercaptoethane sulfonic acid or a salt thereof is
preferred in certain embodiments. The subject electrochemical test strips
find application in the detection of a wide variety of analytes, and are
particularly suited for use the detection of glucose.