A self-powered insulin patch pump with a superabsorbent polymer as a biodegradable battery substitute

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Insulin patch pumps with non-removable batteries contribute significantly to medical waste and landfill contamination.
• Current disposal practices create an environmental challenge due to the design of popular insulin delivery devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a self-powered insulin patch pump that eliminates the need for non-removable batteries.
• To address the environmental impact of medical waste generated by insulin patch pumps.
• To explore the use of biodegradable superabsorbent polymer (SAP) as a sustainable power source for insulin infusion.

Main Methods:

• Designed a self-powered insulin patch pump utilizing a biodegradable superabsorbent polymer (SAP) as the primary power source.
• Integrated valve throttling to enable precise control over basal and bolus insulin delivery rates.
• Measured the infusion rates and generated pressure to assess the pump's performance.

Main Results:

• Achieved continuous infusion rates ranging from 6.1 μL min^-1 to 49.1 μL min^-1.
• Demonstrated the capability for basal (∼10 μL h^-1) and bolus (100 μL) insulin delivery for glycemic control.
• Generated sufficient pressure (∼0.7 psi) for effective infusion, exceeding adult peripheral venous pressure.

Conclusions:

• The proposed self-powered insulin patch pump using SAP effectively delivers insulin while eliminating battery waste.
• This design has the potential to prevent approximately 100,000 used batteries from entering landfills daily.
• Highlights the feasibility of using SAP for energy storage in medical devices to mitigate environmental contamination without compromising healthcare standards.