An integrated liquid crystal sensing device assisted by the surfactant-embedded smart hydrogel

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Abnormal trypsin levels are linked to serious illnesses like acute pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and malnutrition.
• Accurate and rapid detection of trypsin is crucial for diagnosing and managing these conditions.
• Existing detection methods may lack simplicity, speed, or sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated liquid crystal (LC) sensing device for simple, rapid, and sensitive trypsin detection.
• To utilize a surfactant-embedded smart hydrogel to enhance the sensing mechanism.
• To demonstrate the device's efficacy in detecting trypsin in biological samples like human serum.

Main Methods:

• An integrated LC sensing device was designed with a side channel containing gelatin hydrogel mixed with CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide).
• Upon trypsin presence, the hydrogel decomposes, releasing CTAB.
• CTAB molecules interact with LCs at the aqueous/LC interface, causing a visual color change (bright to dark) under crossed polarizers.

Main Results:

• The integrated LC sensing device achieved a remarkable detection limit of 3.4 × 10^-5 mg/mL for trypsin.
• The device enabled successful single-step detection of trypsin in human serum samples.
• Detection was completed within a rapid timeframe of 30 minutes.

Conclusions:

• The developed integrated LC sensing device offers a user-friendly platform for trypsin detection.
• The combination of LC technology and surfactant-embedded hydrogel provides high portability, sensitivity, and fast response times.
• This approach presents a new perspective for developing advanced, easy-to-use LC-based biosensors.