TBISTAT: An open-source, wireless portable, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy capable potentiostat for the point-of-care detection of S100B in plasma samples

Abstract

Point-of-Care (POC) testing for biomarker detection demands techniques that are easy to use, readily available, low-cost, and with rapid response times. This paper describes the development of a fully open-source, modular, wireless, battery-powered, smartphone-controlled, low-cost potentiostat capable of conducting electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for the electrochemical detection of the S100B protein captured in an ANTI-S100B functionalized thin-film gold interdigitated electrode platform to support traumatic brain injury diagnosis and treatment. EIS results from the developed potentiostat were validated with a commercial benchtop potentiostat by comparing impedance magnitude and phase values along the EIS frequency range. In addition, an experimental design was performed for detecting S100B in spiked human plasma samples with S100B concentrations of clinical utility, and a calibration curve was found for quantifying S100B detection. No statistically significant differences were found between EIS results from the developed potentiostat and the commercial potentiostat. Statistically significant differences in the changes in charge transfer resistance signal between each tested S100B concentration (p < 0.05) were found, with a limit of detection of 35.73 pg/mL. The modularity of the proposed potentiostat allows easier component changes according to the application demands in power, frequency excitation ranges, wireless communication protocol, signal amplification and transduction, precision, and sampling frequency of ADC, among others, when compared to state-of-the-art open-source EIS potentiostats. In addition, the use of minimal, easy acquirable open-source hardware and software, high-level filtering, accurate ADC, Fast Fourier Transform with low spectral leakage, wireless communication, and the simple user interface provides a framework for facilitating EIS analysis and developing new affordable instrumentation for POC biosensors integrated systems.

Advances in the Translation of Electrochemical Hydrogel‐Based Sensors

“…While this technique offers exceptional sensitivity and low standard deviation, thereby resulting in ultrasensitive biosensors, the challenge arises in the translation of hardware to support complex alternating current potential differences, resulting in a greater electronic footprint of the device. [76] Signal transduction is typically afforded by the presence of mediators used as oxidizing agents; these electrolyte solutions shuttle electrons between electroactive species and electrochemical cell electrodes. Conventionally, ferri/ferricyanide has been employed for such applications, but hydrogels allow for more advanced methods that do not necessarily rely on redox probes for detection.…”

“…While this technique offers exceptional sensitivity and low standard deviation, thereby resulting in ultrasensitive biosensors, the challenge arises in the translation of hardware to support complex alternating current potential differences, resulting in a greater electronic footprint of the device. [ 76 ]…”

Additively manufactured multiplexed electrochemical device (AMMED) for portable sample-to-answer detection

“…However, they provide limited information about their hardware and software technical specifications because they operate as black boxes, making the development of new measurement techniques and integration with other instruments more challenging. 31 Several research groups developed homemade customized potentiostats with potential use in POC. [32][33][34][35] However, the devices lack one or a few important capabilities to (i) run both voltammetry and EIS (ii) detect multiple analytes in a multiplexed manner (iii) be used for the determination of various concentrations of biomarkers in biological media, and real clinical samples.…”

Additively manufactured multiplexed electrochemical device (AMMED) for portable sample-to-answer detection

“…However, they provide limited information about their hardware and software technical specifications because they operate as black boxes, making the development of new measurement techniques and integration with other instruments more challenging. 29 Several research groups developed homemade customized potentiostats with the potential use in POC. [30][31][32][33] However, the devices lack one or a few important capabilities to (i) run both voltammetry and EIS (ii) detect multiple analytes in a multiplexed manner (iii) be used for the determination of various concentrations of biomarkers in biological media, and real clinical samples.…”