Smartphones and nanotechnology allow rapid detection of neonatal yellowunds

The research team, led by Professor Jiang Langlong of the Institute of Physical Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed an innovative dual-mode sensing platform using UpConversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). This platform integrates fluorescence and colorimetric methods and provides a highly sensitive and low detection limiting regime solution for the detection of bilirubin in complex biological samples.

The findings published in Analytical Chemistry provide a new technical approach for early diagnosis of yellowund.

Huang is a serious health problem for newborns, affecting 60% of newborns and contributing to early neonatal mortality. Elevated levels of free bilirubin indicate yellowund, and healthy individuals indicate healthy levels ranging from 1.7 μm to 10.2 μm. Concentrations below 32 μm usually do not show classical symptoms. Fast and accurate detection of bilirubin in newborns is important.

UCNPs show great potential to detect small molecules in biological samples to minimize background fluorescence interference. However, their low luminescence intensities limit their effectiveness and emphasizes the need for UCNP probes with high luminescence intensities for bilirubin detection.

To overcome this limitation, researchers adopted a zinc ion doping strategy to regulate the growth of upward nanocrystals, improve the energy transfer efficiency of nanoparticles, and thus achieve efficient, high-intensity upconversion emission.

Additionally, a 980 nm near-infrared excitation upconversion visual sensing platform for serum bilirubin detection has been developed. By combining UCNP with sulfosalisylic acid and iron ions to form efficient upconversion nanoprobes, changes in fluorescence and colorimetric gradients were observed in the presence of bilirubin, allowing for accurate detection of bilirubin.

Additionally, researchers have used 3D printing technology to build a portable sensing platform. When combined with the color recognition feature of a smartphone, the device provides a rapid and convenient clinical trial solution for bilirubin monitoring.

This study shows that the fluorescence mode of the sensor achieves a detection limit of as low as 21.4 nm, allowing for accurate bilirubin detection in complex biological matrices.

This study shows strong, comprehensive luminescence elimination and highlights the potential for early disease diagnosis through highly sensitive biomarker detection.