Abstract
A remote collection of biofluid specimens such as blood and urine remains a great challenge due to the requirement of continuous refrigeration. Without proper temperature regulation, the rapid degradation of analytical targets in the specimen may compromise the accuracy and reliability of the testing results. In this study, we develop porous superabsorbent polymer (PSAP) beads for fast and self-driven “microfiltration” of biofluid samples. This treatment effectively separates small analytical targets (e.g., glucose, catalase, and bacteriophage) and large undesired components (e.g., bacteria and blood cells) in the biofluids by capturing the former inside and excluding the latter outside the PSAP beads. We have successfully demonstrated that this treatment can reduce sample volume, self-aliquot the liquid sample, avoid microbial contamination, separate plasma from blood cells, stabilize target species inside the beads, and enable long-term storage at room temperature. Potential practical applications of this technology can provide an alternative sample collection and storage approach for medically underserved areas.
Highlights
A remote collection of biofluid specimens such as blood and urine remains a great challenge due to the requirement of continuous refrigeration
It is a common practice to ship biofluid specimens for off-site diagnostic tests in resource-limited areas.[2−4] For example, during the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, an athome collection kit was developed for point-of-use tests, the samples for which can be collected at home and sent to certified laboratories
The poor stability of molecular biomarkers, and the fast growth of contaminating bacteria at ambient temperatures significantly compromise the quality of the testing results generated
Summary
The PSAP beads were applied to treat a saline medium containing 0.1 or 2 μm fluorescent latex microspheres as model targets The PSAP beads were applied to treat biofluid samples with target species such as glucose, catalase, or bacteriophage MS2 (ATCC 15597-B1). The shelf life of catalase was first measured in a saline medium, which contained nutrient broth (10 mg mL−1) to support bacterial growth. After a certain storage time, five of the hydrated PSAP beads were taken out from each vial for catalase activity measurement and recovery efficiency analysis. The PSAP beads were applied to treat the liquid sample (similar to the shelf life study in the saline medium except for the treatment time in the plasma medium is 30 min).
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