A safe route to a needle-free diabetes sensor

11-Jun-2013 - Canada

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Research reports a new metal oxide semi-conductor (MOS)-based breath test for diabetes that can be produced safely and at a low cost, without employing flame spray pyrolysis.

Flame spray pyrolysis is the usual method for making MOS-based sensors, but it can involve unsafe processing procedures such as open flames and temperatures above 1000^oC, as well as costly instruments.

Scientists in Canada have developed a new MOS-based sensor by screen printing commercial TiO₂ nanopowders. The sensor detects acetone, a biomarker for type 1 diabetes.

The main challenge in the development of breath test sensors for diabetes is detecting parts-per-billion levels of acetone in a complex mixture of breath components, including water vapour. The scientists showed that their TiO₂ sensor could detect 1.5ppm acetone – sensitive enough for type 1 diabetes diagnosis – at 90 per cent humidity.