Paper-Based Device for the Colorimetric Determination of Glucose in Whole-Blood Samples Using a Smartphone

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Background:

• Clinical diagnostics require rapid, simple, and reliable tools for biomarker detection.
• Paper-based analytical devices (PADs) offer a promising low-cost, rapid testing platform.
• Glucose monitoring is crucial for diabetes diagnosis, management, and complication prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated paper-based device for whole blood glucose detection.
• To enable efficient plasma separation within the paper device.
• To facilitate quantitative glucose determination using smartphone technology.

Main Methods:

• Development of a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) for integrated plasma separation.
• Colorimetric assay for glucose detection in separated plasma.
• Smartphone-based image analysis for quantitative glucose measurement.

Main Results:

• Successful integration of plasma separation from whole blood on the paper device.
• Demonstrated colorimetric detection of glucose with high sensitivity and specificity.
• Validated smartphone quantification of glucose levels, correlating well with established methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed paper-based device provides a rapid, low-cost, and user-friendly platform for whole blood glucose quantification.
• This technology has the potential for effective point-of-care diabetes monitoring.
• Integration of plasma separation and smartphone analysis enhances diagnostic capabilities for resource-limited settings.