Microbe-Based Sensor for Long-Term Detection of Urine Glucose

The development of a reusable and low-cost urine glucose sensor can benefit the screening and control of diabetes mellitus. This study focused on the feasibility of employing microbial fuel cells (MFC) as a selective glucose sensor for continuous monitoring of glucose levels in human urine. Using MFC technology, a novel cylinder sensor (CS) was developed. It had a quick response time (100 s), a large detection range (0.3–5 mM), and excellent accuracy. More importantly, the CS could last for up to 5 months. The selectivity of the CS was validated by both synthetic and actual diabetes-negative urine samples. It was found that the CS’s selectivity could be significantly enhanced by adjusting the concentration of the culture’s organic matter. The CS results were comparable to those of a commercial glucose meter (recovery ranged from 93.6% to 127.9%) when the diabetes-positive urine samples were tested. Due to the multiple advantages of high stability, low cost, and high sensitivity over urine test strips, the CS provides a novel and reliable approach for continuous monitoring of urine glucose, which will benefit diabetes assessment and control.