Microbe-Based Sensor for Long-Term Detection of Urine Glucose

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus requires continuous glucose monitoring for effective management.
• Current urine glucose test strips lack reusability and long-term stability.
• Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer potential for developing selective biosensors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess a novel microbial fuel cell-based cylinder sensor (CS) for continuous urine glucose monitoring.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance, including response time, detection range, accuracy, and stability.
• To determine the sensor's selectivity and compare its results with a commercial glucose meter.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a novel cylinder sensor (CS) utilizing MFC technology.
• Testing sensor performance with synthetic and actual urine samples (diabetes-negative and positive).
• Optimizing sensor selectivity by adjusting culture organic matter concentration.
• Comparative analysis with a commercial glucose meter.

Main Results:

• The CS exhibited a rapid response time (100 s) and a wide detection range (0.3–5 mM).
• Sensor stability was demonstrated, lasting up to 5 months with excellent accuracy.
• Selectivity was confirmed and enhanced by adjusting culture conditions; results correlated well with a commercial meter (93.6%–127.9% recovery).

Conclusions:

• The developed MFC-based CS is a low-cost, reusable, and highly sensitive sensor for urine glucose.
• It offers significant advantages in stability and sensitivity over traditional urine test strips.
• This novel sensor provides a reliable approach for continuous urine glucose monitoring, aiding diabetes assessment and control.