Nanocomposite Hydrogel-Based Optical Fiber Probe for Continuous Glucose Sensing.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus (DM) poses a significant global health challenge, driving the need for accessible and accurate continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technologies.
• Current CGM methods face limitations in cost, speed, and reliability, hindering widespread adoption and effective diabetes management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel optical fiber (OF) sensor for precise and rapid continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).
• To functionalize OF sensors with phenylboronic acid (PBA) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for enhanced glucose detection capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of OF sensors via one-step polymerization of PBA-based hydrogel onto a fiber tip, followed by AuNP integration.
• Characterization of sensor performance using a green laser, measuring transmission and reflection intensity changes, and surface plasmon resonance shifts across physiological glucose ranges (0-20 mM).
• Evaluation of sensor response time and saturation period, alongside demonstration of smartphone-based readout for practical application.

Main Results:

• The developed OF sensors demonstrated a significant 25% increase in transmission intensity and a 4 nm blue shift in surface plasmon resonance with increasing glucose concentrations.
• Elevated reflection intensity confirmed the sensors' suitability for remote sensing applications.
• Sensors exhibited a rapid 30-second response time and a 5-minute saturation period, with reliable smartphone-based glucose concentration readings.

Conclusions:

• The novel OF sensors based on PBA-functionalized nanocomposite photonic hydrogel offer a promising, affordable, and rapid solution for CGM.
• The demonstrated performance and smartphone integration highlight the potential of these sensors to significantly improve diabetes management and patient outcomes.