Hydrogel micropatches for sampling and profiling skin metabolites
Ewelina P Dutkiewicz1, Jia-Der Lin, Te-Wei Tseng
1Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
Analytical Chemistry
|February 13, 2014
Summary
This study introduces a novel method using hydrogel micropatches to collect and rapidly analyze skin metabolites in sweat. This technique offers potential for convenient disease biomarker discovery in clinical and forensic settings.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Metabolites in sweat hold potential as disease biomarkers.
- Current sweat analysis methods are limited in clinical settings.
- A need exists for convenient and rapid sweat sampling and analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile method for sampling and rapid chemical profiling of skin metabolites in sweat.
- To assess the potential of this method for clinical and forensic applications.
Main Methods:
- Collection of skin-excreted metabolites using hydrogel (agarose) micropatches.
- Online extraction and analysis via nanospray desorption electrospray ionization coupled with ion trap mass spectrometry.
- Comparison with bulk sampling and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- Detection of various low-molecular-weight metabolites in micropatches.
- Rapid sampling (10 min) and desorption (2 min) times.
- Technical precision ranging from 3-42%, with ≤10% achieved using internal standards.
- Detection limits from 7 to 278 pmol.
- Observed intersubject variability (30-89%) in healthy individuals.
Conclusions:
- The proposed hydrogel micropatch method enables facile and rapid analysis of skin metabolites.
- The method shows potential for semiquantitative assays in clinical analysis and forensics.
- Further development may enhance its utility for disease biomarker discovery.
