title: Biocompatibility of a lab-on-a-pill sensor in artificial gastrointestinal environments.
abstract: In this paper, we present a radiotelemetry sensor, designed as a lab-in-a-pill, which incorporates a two-channel microfabricated sensor platform for real-time measurements of temperature and pH. These two parameters have potential application for use in remote biological sensing (for example they may be used as markers that reflect the physiological environment or as indicators for disease, within the gastrointestinal tract). We have investigated the effects of biofouling on these sensors, by exploring their response time and sensitivity in a model in vitro gastrointestinal system. The artificial gastric and intestinal solutions used represent a model both for fasting, as well as for the ingestion of food and subsequent digestion to gastrointestinal chyme. The results showed a decrease in pH sensitivity after exposure of the sensors for 3 h. The response time also increased from an initial measurement time of 10 s in pure GI juice, to ca. 25 s following the ingestion of food and 80 s in simulated chyme. These in vitro results indicate that changes in viscosity in our model gastrointestinal system had a pronounced effect on the unmodified sensor.
authors.affiliation: Lifecare AS, P.O. Box 1077, 3194 Horten, Norway. erik.johannessen@lifecare.no
authors.forename: Erik A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Johannessen
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wyse
authors.forename: David R S
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Cumming
authors.forename: Jon M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000032:analysis; D040761:Biomimetic Materials; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017736:Ion-Selective Electrodes; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013686:Telemetry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013817:Thermography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials