Low-cost sensors made of semiconducting plastics can be used to diagnose or monitor a wide range of health conditions, including surgical complications or neurodegenerative diseases. The sensor is led by the University of Cambridge, UK and King Abdullah University of Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia A research team developed by.
Cambridge University reported in a press release that the sensor can measure the amount of key metabolites present in sweat, tears, saliva, or blood, such as lactic acid or glucose. When combined with a diagnostic device, the sensor can make it healthy. The situation gets fast, cheap and accurate monitoring.
The researchers used semiconductor plastics, which are being developed for solar cells and flexible electronic devices, but have not been widely used in biological applications. Since the sensor does not contain metals such as gold or platinum, it can be manufactured at low cost and Can be easily incorporated onto flexible and retractable substrates for wearable or implantable sensing applications. This study was published in the journal Science Advancement.
'In our work, we have overcome many of the limitations of traditional electrochemical biosensors that use enzymes as sensing materials.' The first author of the study, Dr. Anna, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge Dr. Anna-Maria Pappa said. 'In traditional biosensors, the communication between the sensor electrodes and the sensing material is not very efficient, so molecular wires need to be added to promote and 'enhance' the signal.'
To build the sensor, Dr. Papa and her colleagues used a synthetic polymer developed by Imperial College London to act as a molecular wire that directly receives electrons generated during electrochemical reactions. When matter and liquid ( When it comes in contact with sweat, tears, or blood, it absorbs ions and swells and binds to the liquid. Compared with the traditional metal electrode sensors, this makes the sensitivity of the sensor greatly improved.
The sensor's initial test was used to measure lactate levels, which is useful in fitness applications and can also be used for postoperative patient monitoring. However, according to the researchers, the sensor can be easily modified by adding appropriate enzymes. Detect other metabolites, such as glucose or cholesterol. The sensor's detectable concentration range can be adjusted by changing the geometry of the device.
Dr. Papa said: 'The implantable device allows us to monitor the metabolic activity of the brain in real-time under stressful conditions, such as during seizures or before seizures, and can be used to predict seizures or assess treatment.' The researchers now plan to develop sensors. Real-time monitoring of metabolic activity of human cells in vitro.
The study was funded by the Marie Curie Foundation, the KAUST Office of Sponsored Research, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences research Council.