Nanoparticles Used in Stress Testing

 


Stress comes into our lives in a variety of ways, from work to the constant go of just simply living. Ignoring stress levels can lead to serious health issues like Alzheimers and depression. Researchers are designing a new device that can check our stress levels at home using nanoparticles.

This study was recently published in the scientific journal Talanta. Scientists in the UK and China have developed a tool that will measure cortisol.

Tong-Ji is a senior technician at Xi-an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU).  She reports “A cost effective, easily reproducible and easy-to-use point of care testing device that accurately measures cortisol levels has long been sought. It could make a huge difference to an appropriate and speedy diagnosis of high cortisol levels, drastically improving people’s lives.”

There is a measurement device that is currently being used. The device usually includes electrodes. Electrodes have poor stability due to condition changes like temperature or pH. Typically this causes a short shelf life and makes the devices difficult to create on a large scale. 

Ji states, “Current cortisol detectors have reference electrodes… that are easily oxidized and unstable in electrochemical measurements. In this study, we used iridium oxide nanoparticles…. This modification improves the stability, sensitivity and reproducibility of cortisol detection in point of care devices.”

Dr. Qiuchen Dong is an assistant professor at XJTLU. He is co-author of this study. He reports, “ This is the first time iridium oxide has been used in this way. Our team have produced a simple, low cost cortisol measuring device that detects cortisol molecules at a concentration 3,000 times lower than the normal range of cortisol in our blood. This makes our device sensitive enough for commercial use.

The  newly designed electrodes have upgraded the selectivity of testing.

Dr Graham Dawson is an associate professor at XJTLU. He summarizes , “One problem with the current solution is that there is much similarity between cortisol and other hormones such as progesterone, testosterone and corticosterone. This means it is difficult for the detectors to tell them apart. Our iridium oxide modified electrode is selective enough to distinguish the different hormones and helps to solve this issue.”

Stressed out? An at home testing device is coming! 

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