Microbial nanocellulose adherent to human skin used in electrochemical sensors to detect metal ions and biomarkers in sweat

Author(s):Show less -

Silva, Robson R. ^[1] ; Raymundo-Pereira, Paulo A. ^[1] ; Campos, Anderson M. ^[2] ; Wilson, Deivy ^[1] ; Otoni, Caio G. ^[3] ; Barud, Hernane S. ^[4] ; Costa, Carlos A. R. ^[5] ; Domeneguetti, Rafael R. ^[6] ; Balogh, Debora T. ^[1] ; Ribeiro, Sidney J. L. ^[6] ; Oliveira Jr, Osvaldo N.

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos Inst Phys, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos Inst Chem, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Inst Chem, POB 6154, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Ctr Araraquara UNIARA, Biopolymers & Biomat Lab BIOPOLMAT, BR-14801340 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[5] Brazilian Ctr Res Energy & Mat CNPEM, Brazilian Nanotechnol Natl Lab LNNano, BR-13083861 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[6] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Dept Gen & Inorgan Chem, Rua Prof Francisco Degni 55, BR-4800060 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Talanta; v. 218, OCT 1 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

The pursuit of biocompatible, breathable and skin-conformable wearable sensors has predominantly focused on synthetic stretchable hydrophobic polymers. Microbial nanocellulose (MNC) is an exceptional skin-substitute natural polymer routinely used for wound dressing and offers unprecedented potential as substrate for wearable sensors. A versatile strategy for engineering wearable sensing platforms is reported, with sensing units made of screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) on MNC. As-prepared SPCEs were used to detect the toxic metals cadmium (Cd2+) and lead (Pb2+) with limits of detection of 1.01 and 0.43 mu M, respectively, which are sufficient to detect these metal ions in human sweat and urine. SPCEs functionalized through anodic pre-treatments were used for detecting uric acid and 17 beta-estradiol in artificial sweat, with detection limits of 1.8 mu M and 0.58 mu M, respectively. The electrochemical treatment created oxygen groups on the carbon surfaces, thus improving wettability and hydrophilicity. MNC was herein exploited as an adhesive-free, yet highly skin-adherent platform for wearable sensing devices that also benefit from the semi-permeable, non-allergenic, and renewable features that make MNC unique within the pool of materials that have been used for such a purpose. Our findings have clear implications for the developments on greener and more biocompatible but still efficient substrates and may pave the route for combining immunosensing devices with drug delivery therapies. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/01919-6 - Design and fabrication of nanostructured flexible devices for biomarkers detection
• Grantee: Paulo Augusto Raymundo Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 13/14262-7 - Nanostructured films from biologically-relevant materials
• Grantee: Osvaldo Novais de Oliveira Junior
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/01770-0 - Development of analytical tools based on electronic tongues for simultaneous detection of bacterial threats
• Grantee: Deivy Wilson Masso
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/06612-6 - Printed and implantable biosensor made from biopolymers for long-term monitoring
• Grantee: Robson Rosa da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral