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Ultrasensitive Ionophore-Based Liquid Sensors for Colorimetric Ion Measurements in Blood
Nasrin Ghanbari Ghalehjoughi1, Renjie Wang2, Savannah Kelley1
1Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W. Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23284, United States.
Analytical Chemistry
|August 11, 2023
Summary
A novel ionophore-based colorimetric sensor enables precise electrolyte monitoring using minimal blood. This portable, user-friendly device offers a cost-effective solution for at-home chronic disease management.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Self-monitoring of electrolytes is crucial for managing chronic diseases.
- Existing methods often require large blood volumes or complex laboratory procedures.
- There is a need for accessible, at-home electrolyte testing solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel ionophore-based colorimetric sensor for rapid electrolyte measurement in small blood volumes.
- To create a portable, user-friendly system for at-home blood electrolyte analysis.
- To validate the accuracy and precision of the developed sensor for calcium (Ca2+) and potassium (K+) ions.
Main Methods:
- Development of a pipet microtip sensor containing an oil phase with a pH-sensitive chromoionophore, cation exchanger, and ionophore.
- Utilizing a stepper motor-controlled mixing protocol for analyte extraction from capillary blood into the oil phase.
- Colorimetric analysis of the oil phase for electrolyte concentration determination.
- Validation of calcium (Ca2+) sensor accuracy and precision using 51 human blood samples.
Main Results:
- The developed sensor demonstrated ultrahigh sensitivity and an unprecedentedly large color response for electrolytes within a clinically relevant concentration range.
- The sensor operates in an exhaustive response mode with a novel mechanism for defining detection limits.
- The system is independent of sample type (whole blood), requires no individual calibration, and exhibits high consistency.
- Validated accuracy and precision for Ca2+ measurements in human blood samples.
Conclusions:
- The proposed ionophore-based colorimetric sensor platform is highly suitable for at-home blood electrolyte measurements.
- The system's portability, cost-effectiveness, and user-friendliness make it ideal for chronic disease management.
- The sensor technology shows promise for the development of similar devices for other ions like K+.
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