Paper-Based Device for Phenolic Content Determination in Tea Extracts

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Phenolic compounds are vital in natural product-derived medicines, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals.
• Traditional spectrophotometry for quantifying phenolic compounds is laborious, time-consuming, and reagent-intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, point-of-need colorimetric sensor for rapid determination of total phenolic content (TPC).
• To create a user-friendly device for analyzing TPC in tea extracts.

Main Methods:

• Development of a radial paper-based analytical device (PAD).
• Utilized the Folin-Ciocâlteu colorimetric reaction for TPC detection.
• PAD enabled both quantitative (image analysis) and semiquantitative (color chart) measurements.

Main Results:

• Successful application of PAD for TPC determination in tea extracts using various solvents (water, methanol, ethanol) with high accuracy and precision.
• TPC values obtained from PAD correlated well with visible spectrophotometry.
• Semiquantitative analysis using a color reference card achieved over 95% accuracy.
• Optimal storage conditions identified as 4°C in a light-protected, vacuum-sealed container for device stability.

Conclusions:

• The developed PAD is a promising tool for simple, rapid, and accurate TPC estimation in plant extracts.
• This sensor offers a practical alternative to conventional methods for phenolic compound analysis.
• The device facilitates point-of-need analysis, reducing time and reagent consumption.