Integrated Microfluidic SERS Sensor Featuring Au NPs@Cu MOF/Hydrogel for Label-Free and Specific Creatinine Detection

Area of Science:

• Biomarker Detection
• Nanomaterials
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Accurate creatinine detection is vital for diagnosing kidney diseases.
• Current real-time, label-free creatinine sensing methods face challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated microfluidic SERS platform for sensitive and selective creatinine detection.
• To enable label-free and real-time analysis of creatinine.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a microfluidic SERS platform with an in situ polymerized Au NPs@Cu MOF/hydrogel substrate.
• Utilizing Au NPs for electromagnetic enhancement and Cu MOF for specific creatinine capture.
• Employing a three-layer microfluidic architecture for stability and contamination prevention.

Main Results:

• Achieved a low detection limit of 2.54 × 10^-4 mg/dL for creatinine.
• Demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity for creatinine detection.
• Showcased excellent performance in artificial and real human urine samples.

Conclusions:

• The integrated microfluidic SERS platform provides a promising tool for sensitive and selective creatinine detection.
• This technology has significant potential for practical bioanalytical applications in kidney disease diagnosis.
• The developed sensor offers a rapid (10 min), low-volume (10 μL) method for creatinine analysis.