An acoustic glucose sensor

In vivo glucose monitoring is required for tighter glycaemic control. This report describes a new approach to construct a miniature implantable device based on a magnetic acoustic resonance sensor (MARS). A ∼600–800 nm thick glucose-responsive poly(acrylamide-co-3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid) (poly(acrylamide-co-3-APB)) film was polymerised on the quartz disc (12 mm in diameter and 0.25 mm thick) of the MARS. The swelling/shrinking of the polymer film induced by the glucose binding to the phenylboronate caused changes in the resonance amplitude of the quartz disc in the MARS. A linear relationship between the response of the MARS and the glucose concentration in the range ∼0–15 mM was observed, with the optimum response of the MARS sensor being obtained when the polymer films contained ∼20 mol% 3-APB. The MARS glucose sensor also functioned under flow conditions (9 μl/min) with a response almost identical to the sensor under static or non-flow conditions. The results suggest that the MARS could offer a promising strategy for developing a small subcutaneously implanted continuous glucose monitor.

► A novel glucose sensor was developed based on a wireless acoustic sensor.
► The glucose sensing system can work in both static and fluidic conditions.
► A miniaturized implantable glucose monitor is prospective to be realized.