Stampa 3D di microcelle elettrochimiche: rilevazione reagentless dell'acido urico in campioni di urina

In recent years, rapid response self-diagnostic devices are becoming increasingly popular. They allow rapid screening treatment, limiting possible invasive analysis. The use of these sensors makes it possible to limit also the use of expensive and complex analytical methods. A great goal for the research is the development of reagentless sensors, i.e. ready-to-use devices for analysts, regardless of their experience level. This work deals with the realization of an electrochemical reagentless sensor which can detect the uric acid concentration in urine. It was used a commercial screen-printed electrode that was inserted into a special microcell manufactured by 3D printing. The electrochemical response was studied in several conditions; first of all aqueous solutions with different uric acid concentrations were analyzed, using differential pulse voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry techniques. When the best measurements conditions were defined, we went on to evaluate the electrochemical response in a synthetic urine matrix. Finally the pretreatments that can be carried out on the urine samples were studied in order to find out which of them could be used in combination with our device, in such a way that the measurement can also be carried out away from analysis laboratory.