Low-Cost ZnO Spray-Coated Optical Fiber Sensor for Detecting VOC Biomarkers of Diabetes
A non-invasive optical fiber sensor for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as biomarkers of diabetes is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. It offers a low-cost and straightforward fabrication approach by implementing a one-step spray coating of a ZnO colloidal solution on a glass opt...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/18/7916 |
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| author | Kankan Swargiary Pannathorn Jitpratak Akhilesh Kumar Pathak Charusluk Viphavakit |
| author_facet | Kankan Swargiary Pannathorn Jitpratak Akhilesh Kumar Pathak Charusluk Viphavakit |
| author_sort | Kankan Swargiary |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A non-invasive optical fiber sensor for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as biomarkers of diabetes is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. It offers a low-cost and straightforward fabrication approach by implementing a one-step spray coating of a ZnO colloidal solution on a glass optical fiber. The structure of the optical fiber sensor is based on a single-mode fiber–coreless silica fiber–single-mode fiber (SMF-CSF-SMF) structure, where the CSF is the sensor region spliced between two SMFs. The ZnO layer of a higher refractive index coated over the sensing region improves the light interaction with the surrounding medium, leading to sensitivity enhancement. The optical properties, morphology, and elemental composition of the ZnO layer were analyzed. The sensing mechanism of the developed sensor is based on a wavelength interrogation technique showing wavelength shifts when the sensor is exposed to various VOC vapor concentration levels. Various concentrations of the three VOCs (including acetone, isopropanol, and ethanol) ranging from 20% to 100% were tested and analyzed. The sensor noticeably shows a significant response towards acetone vapor, with a better sensitivity of 0.162 nm/% vapor than for isopropanol (0.082 nm/% vapor) and ethanol (0.075 nm/% vapor) vapors. The high sensitivity and selectivity towards acetone, a common biomarker for diabetes, offers the potential for further development of this sensor as a smart healthcare system for monitoring diabetic conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:01:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fca99f305c4c40bb8789286ddb66081c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:01:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-fca99f305c4c40bb8789286ddb66081c2023-11-19T12:56:00ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202023-09-012318791610.3390/s23187916Low-Cost ZnO Spray-Coated Optical Fiber Sensor for Detecting VOC Biomarkers of DiabetesKankan Swargiary0Pannathorn Jitpratak1Akhilesh Kumar Pathak2Charusluk Viphavakit3International School of Engineering (ISE), Intelligent Control Automation of Process Systems Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, ThailandBiomedical Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, ThailandCenter for Smart Structures and Materials, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USAInternational School of Engineering (ISE), Intelligent Control Automation of Process Systems Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, ThailandA non-invasive optical fiber sensor for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as biomarkers of diabetes is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. It offers a low-cost and straightforward fabrication approach by implementing a one-step spray coating of a ZnO colloidal solution on a glass optical fiber. The structure of the optical fiber sensor is based on a single-mode fiber–coreless silica fiber–single-mode fiber (SMF-CSF-SMF) structure, where the CSF is the sensor region spliced between two SMFs. The ZnO layer of a higher refractive index coated over the sensing region improves the light interaction with the surrounding medium, leading to sensitivity enhancement. The optical properties, morphology, and elemental composition of the ZnO layer were analyzed. The sensing mechanism of the developed sensor is based on a wavelength interrogation technique showing wavelength shifts when the sensor is exposed to various VOC vapor concentration levels. Various concentrations of the three VOCs (including acetone, isopropanol, and ethanol) ranging from 20% to 100% were tested and analyzed. The sensor noticeably shows a significant response towards acetone vapor, with a better sensitivity of 0.162 nm/% vapor than for isopropanol (0.082 nm/% vapor) and ethanol (0.075 nm/% vapor) vapors. The high sensitivity and selectivity towards acetone, a common biomarker for diabetes, offers the potential for further development of this sensor as a smart healthcare system for monitoring diabetic conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/18/7916optical fiber sensorvolatile organic compound (VOC)ZnO spray coatingbiomarkersdiabetes |
| spellingShingle | Kankan Swargiary Pannathorn Jitpratak Akhilesh Kumar Pathak Charusluk Viphavakit Low-Cost ZnO Spray-Coated Optical Fiber Sensor for Detecting VOC Biomarkers of Diabetes Sensors optical fiber sensor volatile organic compound (VOC) ZnO spray coating biomarkers diabetes |
| title | Low-Cost ZnO Spray-Coated Optical Fiber Sensor for Detecting VOC Biomarkers of Diabetes |
| title_full | Low-Cost ZnO Spray-Coated Optical Fiber Sensor for Detecting VOC Biomarkers of Diabetes |
| title_fullStr | Low-Cost ZnO Spray-Coated Optical Fiber Sensor for Detecting VOC Biomarkers of Diabetes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low-Cost ZnO Spray-Coated Optical Fiber Sensor for Detecting VOC Biomarkers of Diabetes |
| title_short | Low-Cost ZnO Spray-Coated Optical Fiber Sensor for Detecting VOC Biomarkers of Diabetes |
| title_sort | low cost zno spray coated optical fiber sensor for detecting voc biomarkers of diabetes |
| topic | optical fiber sensor volatile organic compound (VOC) ZnO spray coating biomarkers diabetes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/18/7916 |
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