Rapid and effective differentiation
and quantification of a small
molecule drug, such as fentanyl, in bodily fluids are major challenges
for diagnosis and personal medication. However, the current toxicology
methods used to measure drug concentration and metabolites require
laboratory-based testing, which is not an efficient or cost-effective
way to treat patients in a timely manner. Here, we show an assay for
monitoring fentanyl levels by combining the intermolecular interaction-enabled
small molecule recognition (iMSR) with differential impedance analysis
of conjugated polymers. The differential interactions with the designed
anchor interface were transduced through the perturbance of the electric
status of the flexible conducting polymer. This assay showed excellent
fentanyl selectivity against common interferences, as well as in variable
body fluids through either testing strips or skin patches. Directly
using the patient blood, the sensor provided 1%–5% of the average
deviation compared to the “gold” standard method LC-MS
results in the medically relevant fentanyl range of 20–90 nM.
The superior sensing properties, in conjunction with mechanical flexibility
and compatibility, enabled point-of-care detection and provided a
promising avenue for applications beyond the scope of biomarker detection.
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