Janus Hydrogel Microbeads for Glucose Sensing with pH Calibration

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is crucial for diabetes management.
• Existing CGM systems face challenges with accuracy due to pH variations in bodily fluids.
• Development of novel sensing materials is needed to overcome these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop fluorescent Janus hydrogel microbeads for accurate continuous glucose sensing.
• To incorporate in-situ pH calibration capabilities within the sensing microbeads.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of these microbeads for glucose monitoring in complex sample solutions.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Janus hydrogel microbeads using UV-assisted centrifugal microfluidics.
• Incorporation of fluorescent glucose and pH sensors into distinct microbead hemispheres.
• Testing of microbead performance in solutions with varying glucose and pH concentrations.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated dual-functional Janus hydrogel microbeads.
• Demonstrated simultaneous fluorescent detection of glucose and pH.
• Achieved accurate glucose concentration measurements across a range of pH conditions.
• Validated performance in a body-fluid-like sample solution.

Conclusions:

• Fluorescent Janus hydrogel microbeads provide a robust platform for continuous glucose monitoring.
• The integrated pH calibration ensures measurement accuracy in variable environments.
• This technology holds potential for the development of fully implantable CGM devices.