AC electrokinetic drug delivery in dentistry using an interdigitated electrode assembly powered by inductive coupling

Abstract

AC electrokinetics (ACEK) has been shown to deliver certain drugs into human teeth more effectively than diffusion. However, using electrical wires to power intraoral ACEK devices poses risks to patients. The study demonstrates a novel interdigitated electrode arrays (IDE) assembly powered by inductive coupling to induce ACEK effects at appropriate frequencies to motivate drugs wirelessly. A signal generator produces the modulating signal, which multiplies with the carrier signal to produce the amplitude modulated (AM) signal. The AM signal goes through the inductive link to appear on the secondary coil, then rectified and filtered to dispose of its carrier signal, and the positive half of the modulating signal appears on the load. After characterizing the device, the device is validated under light microscopy by motivating carboxylate-modified microspheres, tetracycline, acetaminophen, benzocaine, lidocaine and carbamide peroxide particles with induced ACEK effects. The assembly is finally tested in a common dental bleaching application. After applying 35 % carbamide peroxide to human teeth topically or with the IDE at 1200 Hz, 5 Vpp for 20 min, spectrophotometric analysis showed that compared to diffusion, the IDE enhanced whitening in specular optic and specular optic excluded modes by 215 % and 194 % respectively. Carbamide peroxide absorbance by the ACEK group was two times greater than diffusion as measured by colorimetric oxidation-reduction and UV-Vis spectroscopy at 550 nm. The device motivates drugs of variable molecular weight and structure wirelessly. Wireless transport of drugs to intraoral targets under ACEK effects may potentially improve the efficacy and safety of drug delivery in dentistry.

Real-time, selective, and low-cost detection of trace level SARS-CoV-2 spike-protein for cold-chain food quarantine

“…For trace particle detection in liquid, the preconcentration of target particles is always crucial to a successful test 34 – 36 . Compared with most techniques for preconcentration needing an extra incubation or equipment, AC electrokinetic (ACEK) effects can manipulate nanoparticles efficiently to realize target enrichment rapidly without extra processes or devices 37 – 39 . For relatively large molecules such as proteins, DEP force, an important ACEK effect, has been demonstrated as a dominant force applied on the particles 40 , 41 .…”

Real-time Sensing of Trace Biomarkers from Viruses with a Microfluidic Immunosensor: A Case Study of SARS-CoV-2 Detection in Cold-chain Food

“…[34][35][36] Compared with most techniques for pre-concentration needing an extra incubation or equipment, AC electrokinetic (ACEK) effects can manipulate nanoparticles efficiently to realize target enrichment rapidly without extra processes or devices. [37][38][39] For relatively large molecules such as proteins, dielectrophoresis (DEP) force, an important ACEK effect, has been demonstrated as a dominant force applied on the particles. [40,41] In this work, an IDME chip is used as a physical device to induce DEP effect.…”

Real-time Sensing of Trace Biomarkers from Viruses with a Microfluidic Immunosensor: A Case Study of SARS-CoV-2 Detection in Cold-chain Food

“…For trace particle detection in liquid, the pre-concentration of target particles is always crucial to a successful test [33][34][35]. Compared with most techniques for pre-concentration needing an extra incubation or equipment, AC electrokinetic (ACEK) effects can manipulate nanoparticles efficiently to realize target enrichment rapidly without extra processes or devices [36][37][38]. For relatively large molecules such as proteins, dielectrophoresis (DEP) force, an important ACEK effect, has been demonstrated as a dominant force applied on the particles [39,40].…”