Development a coordination polymer based nanosensor for phenobarbital determination in exhaled breath condensate

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Nanomaterials Science
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Phenobarbital is a crucial medication for preterm infants, but monitoring its levels in exhaled breath condensate (MVEBC) is challenging.
• Existing methods for phenobarbital quantification may lack sensitivity or require complex sample preparation.
• Developing a rapid and accurate method for MVEBC analysis is essential for optimizing therapeutic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel fluorometric probe for the sensitive quantification of phenobarbital in MVEBC.
• To utilize luminol-terbium coordination polymer nanoparticles (luminol-Tb CP NPs) for enhanced fluorescence detection.
• To establish a reliable method for monitoring phenobarbital in mechanically ventilated preterm neonates.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of luminol-terbium coordination polymer nanoparticles (luminol-Tb CP NPs).
• Validation of the fluorometric probe based on aggregation-induced fluorescence enhancement upon phenobarbital coordination.
• Determination of phenobarbital concentration in MVEBC samples from preterm infants using the developed probe.

Main Results:

• The luminol-Tb CP NPs probe demonstrated an aggregation-induced fluorescence enhancement mechanism.
• A linear relationship was observed between fluorescence intensity and phenobarbital concentration in the range of 0.1-10.0 mg.L⁻¹.
• The method achieved a low limit of detection (0.024 mg.L⁻¹) and a good relative standard deviation (3.6%).

Conclusions:

• The developed fluorometric probe offers a sensitive, accurate, and efficient method for phenobarbital quantification in MVEBC.
• This technique holds significant potential for therapeutic drug monitoring in mechanically ventilated preterm neonates.
• The use of luminol-Tb CP NPs provides a promising platform for developing advanced diagnostic tools.