Low-cost, immediate, general-purpose, and high-throughput (LIGHt) smartphone colorimetric screening assay for water-soluble protein

Abstract

An efficient and rapid method for the detection of total soluble protein in tobacco leaves, utilizing a smartphone-based colorimetric approach has been developed. The proposed low-cost, immediate, general-purpose, and high-throughput (LIGHt) smartphone colorimetric screening assay integrates commercially available microplates, enabling on-site, high-throughput screening of tobacco leaf quality. The study involves preparing protein standard solutions and constructing standard curves using both spectrophotometric and smartphone-based methods. The LIGHt smartphone colorimetry yielded an average relative standard deviation of 10.6 %, a limit of detection of 2 μg/mL, and an average recovery of 93 %. The results demonstrated a comparable performance between intensities from the blue channel and the absorbance values in reflecting protein concentrations, validating the feasibility of utilizing smartphone colorimetry for protein concentration determination. Our approach demonstrates the potential for practical implementation in the field, providing a cost-effective and user-friendly solution for rapid quality assessment in the tobacco industry. The LIGHt smartphone colorimetry enhances quality control practices in the tobacco sector and offers a promising tool for on-site production quality testing in various industries, such as fruits and vegetables.