Guntur University develops portable paper sensor to measure Vitamin D deficiency

In a breakthrough discovery, a university in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh has developed a cost-effective and portable paper sensor to measure Vitamin D content in the human body. The device was assembled in the Department of Chemistry of K.L (deemed-to-be-University) under the supervision of Dr. Pradeep Kumar Brahman, Assistant Professor and Tummala Anusha, a research scholar in the university. It is the most inexpensive and high-accuracy Vitamin D deficiency sensor in national and international markets, ANI reported.

The sensor is compiled by "designing paper electrode and printing it on an A4 photocopy paper." The print is obtained with a specially designed ink that "includes cobalt silver doped copolymer ionic liquid and acts as a sensor" to determine Vitamin D deficiency. The two common electrodes along with the strip are then dipped in the patient's sample serum.

"An amperometric measurement is recorded at a constant potential," the report mentioned. All the three electrodes are then connected to the potentiostat, which in turn is connected to the monitor on which the lab operator can view the results. The accuracy of the tested samples concluded with 94 percent, which is par excellence with the commercially available testing kits, said research scholar Tummala Anusha.

Benefits to the medical community

Researcher Anusha also pointed out the negligence of the Indian citizens towards Vitamin D content in their bodies. "Indians usually do not get tested for Vitamin D deficiency as it does not produce visible symptoms," Anusha said. She also mentioned that the growing rate of Vitamin D deficiency scenario in the country turned to be the driving force behind the development of the device.

Talking about the benefits in the medical field Professor Brahman said, the device will enable small clinics and dispensaries in rural areas to diagnose patients with Vitamin D deficit without bulky equipment. Generally, traditional Vitamin D testing kits cost around Rs.1500- Rs. 2000. However, the cost of the paper sensor kept around Rs. 40- Rs. 50 "will make Vitamin D deficiency testing affordable for cost-conscious countries like India," Professor Brahman added. As per reports, the "first-of-its-kind" cost-effective Vitamin D deficiency sensor is instrumental for quick and accurate monitoring of Vitamin D content in the human body.

Professor Brahman and Anusha thanked the K.L University for providing the infrastructure and funds that enabled them to fabricate the device. The researchers garnered applause from the national and international community for their breakthrough discovery. Their work has also been published in several journals.

(With inputs from ANI) (Image: Unsplash/representative)