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Biosensor recognises crystal meth
Biosensors are becoming increasingly important for the rapid and reliable detection of drugs, infections and diseases. When used by the police or in the healthcare sector, for example, a precise and practical application is crucial. As part of a study at the Institute of Physics at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich, a biosensor was developed to recognise methamphetamine (crystal meth) and cortisol, which can measure extremely precise concentrations.
05/04/2023
Dental damage, brain haemorrhages and strokes - metamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, is considered one of the most dangerous drugs in the world. People who consume the substance also pose a considerable danger to others, for example in road traffic. For emergency services such as the police and customs authorities, it is therefore important to be able to detect drugs quickly and accurately during checks - and that is exactly what the biosensor, which was developed at the Institute of Physics under the direction of Prof Georg Düsberg, can do.
In addition to metamphetamine, the sensor can also be modified to recognise cortisol, a vital endogenous hormone that is involved in many metabolic processes and is released in greater quantities under stress. Excessive cortisol levels can increase the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or osteoporosis, while cortisol deficiency can lead to exhaustion, low blood pressure, nausea and much more. This makes rapid and, above all, concentration-accurate measurement all the more important. Laura von Lüders, who researched the biosensor for her doctorate, explains: „The sensor should be very easy to use, so that theoretically anyone can use it outside of a hospital without a lot of equipment, similar to rapid corona tests.“Electrical instead of optical measurement
In contrast to conventional drug tests or tests to detect infections, such as the rapid coronavirus test, the biosensor developed uses electrical instead of optical readout. The resistance of the sample is measured and more precise results are obtained, which can provide information about the concentration of the substance: „The great thing about the method is that we can not only say: The substance is present or not, but also to what extent“, emphasised von Lüders.
The biosensor developed is based on graphene, a two-dimensional material that consists exclusively of carbon and is an optimal material for sensor technology due to its combination of properties. Molecules that connect the graphene with antibodies (linker molecule) are placed on the graphene-based chip. A resistance measurement is then taken and the sample taken is added. If the substance is present in the sample, the resistance changes and the extent to which the signal has changed can be measured.
Further development of the sensor planned
Further development of the biosensor is planned as part of the dtec.bw-funded VITAL-Sense project at the SENS (Integrated Sensor Systems) research centre. VITAL-Sense is concerned with sensors that record vital functions. The principle of the sensor is versatile and can be trimmed to various other molecules, so that even more biomarkers can be detected. A further step is the development of a demonstrator, at the moment we are still using individual chips for measurement in an aqueous solution in the laboratory," says von Lüders.
Publication:
Laura von Lüders, Rita Tilmann, Kangho Lee, Cian Bartlam, Tarja Nevanen, Kristiina Iljin, Kathrin C. Knirsch, Andreas Hirsch, Georg S. Duesberg: Functionalisation of Graphene Sensor Surfaces for the Specific Detection of Biomarkers; Angewandte Chemie, März 2023; https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202219024
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