Blood Glucose Monitoring System
Blood Glucose Monitoring System
Blood Glucose Monitoring System
In the late 1970s, similar test strips for measuring glucose in whole blood samples were introduced. Like the earlier urine dipsticks, the whole blood test strips used a reagent impregnated pad on a plastic strip to enzymatically convert glucose to a coloured product. Proper use of the whole blood test strips required removal of excess sample (by wiping or blotting), careful timing, and visual estimation of glucose concentration; the quality of results was highly operator-dependent.
Shortly after the introduction of visually read test strips, the first generation of hand-held blood glucose meters reached the market. By incorporating a small optical system (a reflectance photometer), these meters allowed the user to read the test strips electronically to measure the colour intensity on the test strips. Optical readings were converted to a digital display of blood glucose concentration. Although such systems still required wiping and timing, their enhanced performance allowed people with diabetes to accurately and precisely self-monitor their blood glucose levels.
Second-generation meters for BGMS reached the market in the mid to late 1980s. These meters eliminated the need for wiping and timing. A second technologyelectrochemistryjoined reflectance photometry for blood glucose monitoring. Both technologies use an enzyme to convert glucose to a measurable product, but instead of measuring a coloured product, electrochemical meters quantify the number of electrons generated by the enzymatic reaction and convert that number to blood glucose concentration.
Blood glucose monitor consists of a disposable test strip with two carbon working electrodes and silver-silver chloride reference electrode 4 L (4 x 10-6 L) of blood is applied in the circular opening which spreads over all the electrodes.
Steps
Electrons
Using an enzyme as a catalyst, glucose (G) is reacted with a mediator (Y) to generate electrons (e-). The number of electrons captured by the mediator is directly proportional to the amount of glucose present in the sample: the more glucose, the more electrons; the less glucose, the fewer electrons.
Electrochemistry (Amperometry)
Electrochemistry quantifies the number of electrons generated by the oxidation of glucose. A mediator captures the electrons; when a voltage is applied, the electrons are transferred to and counted at the electrodes. A detector converts the resulting current to an electronic signal and translates that signal to its corresponding glucose concentration.
Electrical contacts
Carbon working electrode-2 coated Hydrophobic mesh spreads blood over the electrodes with mediator but no enzyme
Carbon working electrode(1) coated with glucose oxidase and mediator Carbon working electrode(2) coated only with mediator
Enzyme 2 Ferrocene Glucose (1,1 dimethyl ferrocene) oxidase CH3 Enzyme Glucose oxidase
CH3 CH2OH O H H OH OH OH OH
+
2
Fe
+2
Fe CH3
CH3
Sandwitch