Toward Next-Generation Mobile Diagnostics: Near-Field Communication-Powered Electrochemiluminescent Detection

Mobile phones have been used in combination withpoint of care (PoC) devices for over a decade now. However, theiruse seems restricted to the detection of sensing events using thevideo and camera functions. In contrast, the complementary abilityto use mobile phones to power such PoC devices has been largelyunexplored. This work demonstrates the proof-of-principle that asmartphone can be used to both power and analyze anelectrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection system. A printeddevice is presented featuring an electrochemical cell connected inseries to a rectenna that is able to use the Near FieldCommunication (NFC, 13.56 MHz) signal to provide the energyneeded to generate ECL from Ru(bpy)32+/tri-n-propylamine. Theemitted light, the intensity of which is directly proportional to theconcentration of the ruthenium complex, can then be captured by the mobile phone camera and analyzed. This work presents thefabrication and the electrical and electrochemical characterization of the device. Effective voltages ranging from 0.90 to 4.50 V havebeen recorded, depending on the coupling between emitter and receiver, which translate into working electrode potentials rangingfrom 0.76 up to 1.79 V vs Ag. Detection and quantification limits of 0.64 and 1.52 mu M, respectively, have been achieved forRu(bpy)32+, and linear ranges up to 0.1 mM (red channel) and no less than 1.0 mM (green channel) have been found.

Automated summary

Mobile phones have been used in combination with point of care (PoC) devices for over a decade. However, their use seems limited to detection of sensing events using video and camera functions. In contrast, the potential of using mobile phones to power PoC devices has been largely unexplored. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using a smartphone to both power and analyze an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection system.