A novel paper-based colorimetry device for the determination of the albumin to creatinine ratio

Abstract

A novel paper-based analytical device (PAD) was fabricated and developed for the simple and rapid determination of the albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) in urine samples. The detection was based on a colorimetric reaction using bromocresol green (BG) in a phosphate buffer (PB) at pH 4 for the determination of albumin (AL) and creatinine (CR). BG changes color from greenish-yellow to bluish-green in the presence of AL and/or CR. Picric acid (PA) in 0.25 M NaOH was used to detect CR, and PA changes color from yellow to orange. Under the optimal conditions, the working range was 10 to 350 mg dL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 7.1 and 5.4 mg dL⁻¹ for AL + CR and CR detection, respectively. The repeatability was evaluated, and the %RSD value was less than 8.23 (n = 10). The ACR was obtained by calculating the AL and CR colorimetric results. Finally, the proposed devices were applied to the determination of AL, CR, and ACR in urine samples. The results obtained by the developed PADs were in good agreement with the standard method and demonstrated the method could reliably measure AL, CR, and ACR. The proposed method provides a low-cost, simple, sensitive, and promising tool for diagnostic identification assay for chronic kidney disease (CKD).