| AVS 63rd International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Biomaterial Interfaces | Wednesday Sessions |
| Session BI+MI-WeM |
| Session: | Biosensors and Diagnostics |
| Presenter: | Anandram Venkatasubramanian, University of Alberta, Canada |
| Authors: | A. Venkatasubramanian, University of Alberta, Canada V.T.K. Sauer, National Institute of Nanotechnology, Canada S.K. Roy, National Institute of Nanotechnology, Canada D. Wishart, University of Alberta, Canada W.K. Hiebert, University of Alberta, Canada |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
The Gas chromatography (GC) – Mass spectrometry (MS) system is the industry benchmark in chemical analysis. However the need for complex instrument such as the ionizer makes the Mass spectrometry unsuitable for portable detection applications. Recent demonstrations with nano-optomechanical (NOMS) resonators at atmospheric pressure show they are promising for portable GCs, matching the mass detection limits of NEMS sensors in only the first generation. Owing to their superior displacement sensitivity compared to NEMS, NOMS may have competitive advantages going forward. In this regard, a free space interferometry system was used for NOMS sensing of biomolecules. The primary motivation to develop sensors for portable applications is to develop point of care diagnostic devices for health monitoring. As the state of our health is a product of our interactions with our environment, metabolomics is useful in health monitoring. Among the different human biofluids, urine is “favoured” due to their precise potrayal of metabolic breakdown products, sterility and easy to obtain large volumes. Hence we have demonstrated multiple component (5 +) biomolecule detection from derivatized human urine metabolomes (HUM) as they elute from the GC. Derivatized HUMs such as ethyl malonic acid (EMA) were tested as a single component sample to obtain the limit of detection. From the results it was observed that the minimum detectable mass was about 20 attograms with a concentration threshold of 25 µM with EMA, which is in the normal physiological range in human adults. T o the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first time a NOMS based gas sensor has been used in conjunction with a gas chromatographic system and has demonstrated physiological range of detection of biomolecules.