Sample-to-Answer Point-of-Care Blood Lead Level Test

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Lead exposure in children causes significant health issues, including developmental delays and intelligence deficits.
• Effective screening programs are crucial for identifying children requiring intervention, especially in low-resource settings.
• Existing screening tools often lack the portability, affordability, and ease of use necessary for widespread accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a low-cost, handheld, sample-to-answer system for detecting lead in whole blood.
• To create an accessible screening tool suitable for resource-limited environments and underserved populations.

Main Methods:

• A novel assay integrates cell lysis, lead liberation, protein aggregation, and filtration within a single workflow.
• Detection utilizes a screen-printed carbon electrode and anodic stripping voltammetry with a low-cost potentiostat.
• The system was validated using pre-quantified reference samples from lead-exposed animals.

Main Results:

• The system achieved a limit of detection of 1.44 μg/dL, below the CDC reference value of 3.5 μg/dL.
• Demonstrated excellent agreement with calibration curves for reference samples, including those near the threshold.
• The assay effectively lyses blood cells, liberates lead, and separates it via filtration.

Conclusions:

• The developed handheld system provides a sensitive, low-cost, and user-friendly method for blood lead detection.
• This technology has the potential to significantly improve lead screening accessibility in vulnerable populations and low-income countries.
• Facilitates timely identification and intervention for childhood lead exposure.