A Wearable Electrochemical Sensor to Monitor Progression of Wound Healing

An enzymatic electrochemical biosensor comprising the enzyme, urate oxidase (uricase, UOx), has been investigated for detection of real-time changes in uric acid. Uric acid (UA) is a key biomarker for monitoring severity of wounds, a complex process initiated to restore tissue damage. With its presence in different bio-fluids, this work explores possibilities of continuous, non-invasive detection of systemic UA levels. Here, hydrolysis of UA was explored to detect the oxidation of its byproduct, H2O2. The role of metal nano-particles was investigated on detection, through cyclic voltammetry. Use of a redox electron shuttle, ferrocene carboxylic acid (FCA), was seen to enable electron transfer between the active site of the enzyme and the electrode. The constructed enzymatic uric acid biosensor provided a sensitivity of 0.14 µA µM-1 cm-2 and detection limit of 14µM within the physiologically relevant range. This biosensor has the potential of providing wound care through continual systemic UA monitoring.