High-sensitivity flip chip blue Mini-LEDs miniaturized optical instrument for non-invasive glucose detection

The colorimetric detection of glucose typically involves a peroxidase reaction producing a color, which is then recorded and analyzed. However, enzyme detection has difficulties with purification and storage. In addition, replacing enzyme detection with chemical methods involves time-consuming steps such as centrifugation and purification and the optical instruments used for colorimetric detection are often bulky and not portable. In this study, ammonium metavanadate and sulfuric acid were used to prepare the detection solution instead of peroxidase to produce color. We also analyzed the effect of different concentrations of detection solution on absorbance sensitivity. Finally, a flip chip blue Mini-LEDs miniaturized optical instrument (FC blue Mini-LEDs MOI) was designed for glucose detection using optics fiber, collimating lenses, a miniaturized spectrometer, and an FC Blue Mini-LEDs with a center wavelength of 459 nm. While detecting glucose solutions in the concentration range of 0.1-10 mM by the developed MOI, the regression equation of y = 0.0941x + 0.1341, R² of 0.9744, the limit of detection was 2.15 mM, and the limit of quantification was 7.163 mM. Furthermore, the preparation of the detection solution only takes 10 min, and the absorbance sensitivity of the optimized detection solution could be increased by 2.3 times. The detection solution remained stable with only a 0.6% decrease in absorbance compared to the original after storing it in a refrigerated environment at 3 °C for 14 days. The method proposed in this study for detecting glucose using FC blue light Mini-LEDs MOI reduces the use of peroxidase. In addition, it has a wide detection range that includes blood as well as non-invasive saliva and tear fluids, providing patients with a miniaturized, highly sensitive, and quantifiable glucose detection system.