Breakthrough in Nanotechnology: Non-Enzymatic Sensors for Lactate and Glucose Detection

Researchers from Polytechnic University Milan have developed non-enzymatic sensors for lactate and glucose detection using nanostructured nickel oxide (NiO)-modified screen-printed carbon electrodes. The sensors were fabricated by drop-casting a NiO/Nafion/ethanol dispersion onto the working electrode and demonstrated high sensitivity and linearity in detecting lactate and glucose levels. The researchers also employed dual-sensing strategies to address glucose interference in lactate sensing, demonstrating the potential of these sensors in future organ-on-a-chip applications.

Key Takeaways:

• The research team developed non-enzymatic sensors for lactate and glucose detection using NiO-modified screen-printed carbon electrodes, addressing the limitations of traditional enzymatic sensors.
• The sensors demonstrated optimal sensitivity and linearity at a working potential of 0.5 V, with detection limits of 0.03 mM (lactate) and 0.025 mM (glucose).
• The sensors exhibited linear responses for both lactate and glucose in the 0.1-5 mM range, with sensitivities of 1.564 mA/mM (lactate) and 1.842 mA/mM (glucose) in 0.1 M NaOH-KCl electrolyte.
• Dual-sensing strategies were employed to address glucose interference in lactate sensing, including varying Nafion concentration, applying differential potentials, or modifying the sensors with Prussian Blue.
• The sensors were integrated with a microfluidic chip, demonstrating their potential as flow-through, enzyme-free metabolic sensors for future organ-on-a-chip applications.
• The research was conducted by a team of researchers from Polytechnic University Milan, including Giuseppe Guagliano, Rohollah Nasiri, Dirkje Van Gastel, Reyhaneh Sanei, et al.
• The research was peer-reviewed and published in the journal Talanta.

Statistics:

• Detection limits: 0.03 mM (lactate) and 0.025 mM (glucose)
• Sensitivities: 1.564 mA/mM (lactate) and 1.842 mA/mM (glucose) in 0.1 M NaOH-KCl electrolyte
• Linear responses: 0.1-5 mM range for both lactate and glucose
• Working potential: 0.5 V
• Electrolyte concentration: 0.1 M NaOH-KCl

Sources:

• NewsRx. Studies from Polytechnic University Milan Yield New Data on Nanoparticles (Electrochemical dual-sensing of lactate and glucose using NiO nanoparticles with cross-sensitivity calibration). Biotech Week. September 3, 2025; p 1306.
• Electrochemical dual-sensing of lactate and glucose using NiO nanoparticles with cross-sensitivity calibration. Talanta, 2025;297:128678.