Microneedle-based biosensor for minimally-invasive lactate detection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Biosensor Technology
• Nanomaterials

Background:

• Continuous lactate monitoring is crucial for sports medicine and clinical diagnostics.
• Existing methods for lactate detection can be invasive or lack real-time capabilities.
• Microneedle technology offers a promising platform for minimally invasive biosensing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop the first mediated microneedles-based biosensor for continuous lactate sensing in dermal interstitial fluid (ISF).
• To functionalize gold microneedles with nanocarbons for enhanced electron transfer in lactate detection.
• To demonstrate the potential of microneedle arrays as second-generation biosensors.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a microneedle biosensor using gold microneedles functionalized with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs).
• Modification of the gold surface through electrodeposition of Au-MWCNTs, electropolymerization of methylene blue (MB) mediator, and immobilization of lactate oxidase (LOX).
• Assessment of the biosensor's performance in artificial ISF and human serum spiked with lactate.

Main Results:

• The developed microneedle biosensor achieved interference-free lactate detection.
• The sensor demonstrated high sensitivity, stability, selectivity, and rapid response time.
• Successful lactate detection was validated in both artificial ISF and human serum samples.

Conclusions:

• The novel microneedle-based biosensor enables minimally invasive, continuous lactate monitoring.
• This technology shows significant promise for real-time monitoring devices in sports medicine and clinical care.
• The functionalized microneedle array represents a significant advancement in second-generation biosensor development.