Hybrid sensor for diabetes detection from exhaled breath using nanoparticles loaded 1D metal oxides

Objective

Health and well-being has been one of the kHealth and well-being has been one of the key societal and grand challenges identified in EC Research and Innovation programs. Diabetes is one of the most prevailing chronic health problems across Europe and worldwide. Diabetic patients experience painful blood glucose testing in daily basis which is highly inconvenient. Replacement of blood testing with non-invasive methods would bring a paradigm shift in diabetes management. Human exhaled breath consists of several traces of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) known as “breath marker”. The presence of increased amount of acetone, ethanol and methyl nitrate has been confirmed in diabetic breath by various sophisticated techniques which are not suitable for routine clinical practice or domestic use due to their non-portability, complexity, bulk-size and high costs. Metal oxide sensors have considerable potential in detecting VOCs in exhaled breath. For VOCs analysis in breath requires high sensitivity together with high selectivity. The aim of this project is to develop hybrid sensor for analyzing VOCs in breath from 1D metal oxide nanostructures functionalized with different catalytic nanoparticles. Both impedometric and photonic properties of the sensors will be measured in presence of synthetic healthy and synthetic diabetic breath. The 1D metal oxide nanostructures on sensing platform could provide high surface-to-volume ratio for surface adsorption/desorption of gas molecules together with excellent electronic and optical properties. The addition of catalytic nanoparticles on the surface of 1D nanostructures will enhance the sensitivity and response time towards VOCs by lowering the oxidation energy, increasing the catalytic surface area and catalytic activation of gas molecules. It is expected that adoption of hybrid sensing principle will enhance the selectivity towards individual VOCs which is essential for the development of highly effective diabetic breath analyzer.

Field of science

• /engineering and technology/environmental engineering/energy and fuels/fossil energy/gas
• /natural sciences/chemical sciences/organic chemistry/volatile organic compounds
• /medical and health sciences/clinical medicine/endocrinology/diabetes

Programme(s)

• H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility

Topic(s)

• MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships

Call for proposal

H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Coordinator