Flipped Quick-Response Code Enables Reliable Blood Grouping

Area of Science:

• Biomedical diagnostics
• Analytical chemistry
• Forensic science

Background:

• Accurate and rapid blood typing is crucial for biomedical and forensic applications.
• Recognizing weak agglutination in blood samples presents a significant challenge in current methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an automated platform for prompt blood group readouts, addressing the challenge of weak agglutination.
• To integrate colorimetric differentiation with digital data capture for efficient blood typing and cross-matching.

Main Methods:

• A flipping identification with prompt error-discrimination (FLIPPED) platform was developed.
• Bromocresol green dye was used as a chromatography indicator to differentiate plasma and whole blood via color change (teal vs. brown).
• Color changes were encoded into a quick-response (QR) code for automatic ABO and Rhesus typing, with wireless data upload via smartphone.
• A color correction model and algorithm were implemented to mitigate errors from scanning angles and ambient light, enabling accurate weak agglutination detection.

Main Results:

• The FLIPPED platform achieved automatic blood group typing (ABO and Rhesus) and wireless data upload within 30 seconds.
• The color correction model successfully enabled accurate recognition of weak agglutination.
• The approach demonstrated comparable accuracy and repeatability to classical column assays in grouping 450 blood samples.

Conclusions:

• The FLIPPED platform offers a versatile, sample-to-result solution for automatic blood typing, overcoming limitations in detecting weak agglutination.
• This technology has potential applications in clinical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental monitoring.
• The system's efficiency and accuracy facilitate improved blood cross-matching and broader diagnostic capabilities.