Inexpensive paper-based diabetes test developed

Scientists have developed a new, inexpensive and easy-to-use urine test for people with type 2 diabetes in areas of extreme poverty, such as rural India, China and other locations in the world. The paper-based device is described in the journal Analytical Chemistry, and could also be adapted to diagnose and monitor other conditions and the environment. Jan Lankelma and team highlight the significance of monitoring glucose levels. Even though the cost for diabetes test strips seem inexpensive to those in developed countries, for people living in areas of extreme poverty, the price could mean the difference between having food and shelter or monitoring their glucose levels. Furthermore, given that the current handheld diabetes monitoring devices measure glucose levels in the blood obtained from a pinprick to a finger, this could act as a deterrent for patients' to measure their levels. In an attempt to overcome these challenges, the researchers developed a novel type of glucose monitor that measures glucose levels in urine. The novel device is easy-to-use and made from paper, which is inexpensive. It contains three electrodes, a buffer solution, a piece of paper (or nitrocellulose) and a plastic dish. Using a slightly modified medical syringe, the patients' inject the sample onto the paper, which causes the sample to move along the paper by gravity and capillary action. The paper is already impregnated with an enzyme named glucose oxidase, which reacts with the sample's glucose to produce hydrogen peroxide, which in turn is detected by the electrodes. The production of the novel device is rapid and inexpensive, yet comparable to more expensive, commercially available clinical instruments. According to the researchers, the device is also for use outside a clinical lab and has the potential to be developed for further applications that could be as varied as evaluating food quality and environmental monitoring.