Portable smartphone integrated 3D-Printed electrochemical sensor for nonenzymatic determination of creatinine in human urine

3D printing technologies are an attractive for fabricating electrochemical sensors due to their ease of operation, freedom of design, fast prototyping, low waste, and low cost. We report the fabrication of a simple 3D-printed electrochemical sensing device for non-enzymatic detection of creatinine, an important indicator of renal function. To create the 3D-printed electrodes (3DE), carbon black/polylactic acid (CB/PLA) composite filament was used. The 3DE was activated using 0.5 M NaOH via amperometry prior to use to improve electrochemical performance. To give selectivity for creatinine, the activated 3DE was modified with a copper oxide nanoparticle-ionic liquid/reduced graphene oxide (CuO-IL/rGO) composite. The modified 3DE was characterized using microscopy and electrochemistry. Cyclic voltammetry and amperometry were used to evaluate sensor performance. The modified 3DE provided electrocatalytic activity towards creatinine without enzymes. Under optimal conditions, the modified 3DE directly coupled with a portable smartphone potentiostat exhibited the linear detection range of 0.5-35.0 mM, and the limit of detection was 37.3 μM, which is sufficient for detecting creatinine in human urine samples. Furthermore, the other physiological compounds present in human urine were not detected on the modified 3DE. Therefore, the modified 3DE could be a tool for effective creatinine screening in the urine.