Point-Of-Care Plastic Biosensor Devices using a PEDOT-modified Electrochemical Glucose Sensing Platform

Abstract

There is an emerging global epidemic of diabetes that can be related to rapid increases in overweight, including obesity and physical inactivity. According to World Healthcare Organization, diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, amputation and kidney failure, while total deaths from diabetes are projected to rise by more than 50% in the next 10 years. To prevent life threatening and debilitating complications associated with diabetes, researchers are continuously involved in developing glucose biosensors. Hence, it is essential to develop a biosensor that can determine glucose levels having fast-response, high sensitivity and selectivity. Depending upon the transduction technique, a number of glucose biosensors have been reported, including electrochemical, optical, and electromagnetic spectroscopy biosensors. Among these types, electrochemical biosensors have been most widely accepted for the sensitive detection of glucose. Electrochemical biosensors offer an attractive opportunity for quick and sensitive detection of analytes in blood. In the present work, polymer, namely poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), films have been electropolymerized on Au electrodes on polyethylene terephtalate (PET) substrates. Glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme was immobilized on the PEDOT films via glutaraldehyde chemistry. These fabricated plastic biosensors exhibited a high sensitivity of 7,4 mA/(mM*cm2) over the clinic range (2-10 mM) of glucose by employing a low cost technology. The biosensors were coupled with an electronic interface just to show the possibility to easily integrate such devices with the emerging technologies including those of smart phones or other wireless based systems able to assist patients in remote. The potential to use our systems for sensing different analytes for a wide range of applications will be discussed. Elettronica su plastica per sistemi “ smart disposable” project under PON 2007-2013 program is acknowledged.