A novel approach to developing highly sensitive glucose sensors

What is it about?

Rapid, reliable, and easy glucose monitoring can help better detect and treat diabetes. However, the standard methods for this are invasive and take a lot of time. Portable biosensors that detect glucose in urine offer a promising solution to this problem. Among these, graphene based sensors with enzyme reactions have drawn attention. Confining enzyme molecules is crucial for the sensitivity and accuracy of these sensors. There are several methods to achieve this. However, some of these could alter the structure or the functionality of the enzymes. This, in turn, could hamper the overall detection process. The authors of this article looked at a new approach to devise glucose sensors. Their approach is based on the formation of a polymer film under the influence of an electric field. This film offers a favorable environment for the enzyme. The resulting biosensors showed lower detection limits and a wide sensing range. These were rapid in their detection ability. They could also detect glucose in urine samples successfully. This proved their ability to help develop portable and rapid testing devices.

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Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people around the world. This condition is caused by elevated glucose levels. Thus, regular monitoring of glucose levels is vital to manage the illness. Glucose levels may be monitored with portable and rapid testing. However, there are some inconveniences to collecting blood. While detecting glucose in urine samples is easier, there are some drawbacks to this method. These include low response rates and low sensitivity. Thus, an accurate tool for detecting glucose in urine samples is essential. KEY TAKEAWAY: The proposed biosensor has the potential to be used to create rapid glucose testing devices. This study could provide the basis for future systems that detect several components at the same time.