A Paper-Based Analytical Device for Analysis of Paraquat in Urine and Its Validation with Optical-Based Approaches

Abstract

Paraquat is a highly toxic herbicide. Paraquat poisoning is often fatal and is an important public health threat in many places. The quick identification and timely initiation of treatment based on timely analysis of the paraquat concentration in urine/serum could improve the prognosis for patients. However, current paraquat concentration measurements are time-consuming and difficult to implement due to the expensive and bulky equipment required. To address these practical challenges, paper-based devices have emerged as alternative diagnostic tools for improving point-of-care testing. In this study, we demonstrate the successful use of a paper-based analytical device for the accurate detection of urine paraquat concentration. The developed paper-based analytical device employs colorimetric paraquat concentration measurements. The R2 value for the urine paraquat standard curve was 0.9989, with a dynamic range of 0–100 ppm. The limit of detection was 3.01 ppm. Two other optical-based approaches, Spectrochip and NanoDrop, were used for comparison. The results suggest that the developed paper-based analytical device is comparable to other colorimetric measurements, as determined by Bland–Altman analysis. The device was clinically validated using urine from six paraquat-poisoned patients. The results prove that the developed paper-based analytical device is accurate, easy-to-use, and efficient for urine paraquat concentration measurement, and may enable physicians to improve clinical management.

Paraquat and Diquat: Recent Updates on Their Pretreatment and Analysis Methods since 2010 in Biological Samples

“…With this method, the LOD and LOQ of PQ were 3.01 μg/mL and 10.02 μg/mL, respectively. The PAD was comparable to that of other conventional colorimetric methods, and the urine paraquat concentration detection was non-invasive and had prognostic significance [ 85 ].…”

“…PQ reacts with sodium dithionite to form a blue radical ion. Some researchers have also developed two-in-one PADs that simultaneously determine serum paraquat and creatinine levels to quickly detect paraquat poisoning and assess renal prognosis [ 85 ]. With this method, the LOD and LOQ of PQ were 3.01 μg/mL and 10.02 μg/mL, respectively.…”

Interleukin-6 Test Strip Combined With a Spectrum-Based Optical Reader for Early Recognition of COVID-19 Patients With Risk of Respiratory Failure

“…Here, we proposed the use of a rapid IL-6 test strip which contains a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA)-based kit accompanied by a handheld optical reader that, in combination, is well suited for recognizing acute respiratory failure among COVID-19 patients. The spectrum-based optical reader is a palm-size portable chip-based spectrometric device ( Hung et al, 2021 ), based on innovative micro-grating technology applied for biomedical spectral analysis ( Kita et al, 2018 ; Wang et al, 2020a ). In this study, we aimed to use a combination of an LFA technique-based IL-6 test strip and a sensitivity-enhanced spectrometric reader for early recognition of COVID-19 patients who may develop respiratory failure.…”