Development of a point-of-care colorimetric metabolomic sensor platform

Metabolomics is the large-scale study of small molecule metabolites within a biological system. It has applications in measuring dietary intake, predicting heart disease risk, and diagnosing cancer. Metabolites are often measured using high-end analytical tools such as mass spectrometers or large spectrophotometers. However, due to their size, cost, and need for skilled operators, using such equipment at the bedside is not practical. To address this issue, we have developed a low-cost, portable, optical color sensor platform for metabolite detection. This platform includes LEDs, sensors, microcontrollers, a power source, and a Bluetooth chip enclosed within a 3D-printed light-tight case. We evaluated the color sensor's performance using both a range of dyed water samples as well as well-established colorimetric reactions for specific metabolite detection. The sensor accurately measured creatinine, L-carnitine, ascorbate, and succinate well within normal human urine levels with accuracy and sensitivity equal to or better than a standard laboratory spectrophotometer. Our color sensor offers a cost-effective, portable alternative for measuring metabolites via colorimetric assays, thereby enabling low-cost, point-of-care metabolite testing.