Porous Granular Glucose Testing Materials for Bulk Liquid Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing glucose test technologies are limited in their ability to distribute reagents over a large area for bulk liquid samples, necessitating collection and are often toxic or complex in structure, lacking a simple, effective method for indicating glucose concentration in biological fluids like urine.

Innovation Solution

Development of granular, powdered, or fibrous materials treated with a reagent mixture containing oxidase enzymes, peroxidase enzymes or enzyme-stabilizing materials, chromogens, and water, applied via spraying or tumbling to create a substrate that can scatter and react with liquid samples to indicate glucose concentration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If reagent solutions are impregnated into absorbent substrates like filter paper, then glucose concentration can be tested, but the substrate cannot be distributed over a large area for bulk liquid sample contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact area with liquid sampleVSAvoidsample collection requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses porous granular materials (such as porous glass, silica gel, or polymer beads) as the substrate for reagent impregnation. These porous materials provide large surface area for reagent loading while maintaining a granular form that can be scattered and distributed over large areas, enabling bulk liquid sample contact without requiring sample collection in traditional strip formats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines reagent solutions with porous granular substrates to create composite testing materials. The composite structure integrates the reagent delivery function with the mechanical property of scatterable granules, allowing the material to be both functionally active for glucose detection and physically distributable over large areas for bulk urine sampling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Measurement precision

If m-anisidine is used as the primary chromogen to detect very high concentrations of glucose, then differentiation between 2,000 mg/dL and 5,000 mg/dL is enabled, but the chromogen is toxic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglucose concentration differentiationVSAvoidtoxicity of chromogen

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the chromogen system by replacing toxic m-anisidine with less toxic alternative chromogens that can still provide the necessary color differentiation for high glucose concentrations. This parameter change maintains the measurement precision for differentiating very high glucose levels while eliminating the toxicity issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the harmful property of the original chromogen into a benefit by selecting alternative chromogens that have reduced or eliminated toxicity while maintaining or improving the color differentiation capability for high glucose concentration detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If complex structured substrates are used for glucose testing, then reagent delivery is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereagent delivery functionVSAvoidsubstrate structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the testing system into simple, discrete granular units that can be independently manufactured and distributed. Each granule contains the necessary reagents in a simplified structure, eliminating the need for complex multilayer strip constructions while maintaining reliable reagent delivery through the porous material structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Provides a simple, efficient, and non-toxic method for determining glucose concentration in biological fluids by distributing reagents over a large area, allowing for easy contact with liquid samples without collection, and offering a clear color change indication.

Implementation Method 1

a reagent mixture comprising: (a) one or more oxidase enzymes; (b) one or more of the following: (i) one or more peroxidase enzymes; and/or (ii) one or more non-enzyme based materials that are enzyme-stabilizing, and/or have some enzymatic or catalytic activity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 2

one or more peroxidase enzymes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 3

one or more chromogens

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectColor changes:

Data Source

PatentUS12385079B2Method of determining glucose concentration

Publication Date: 2025.08.12 SUN CHEMICAL CORP

AI summary

The present invention provides a powdered or fibrous or granular or pelleted material, and a method for preparing the material, for measuring glucose concentration in a liquid sample. The devices are typically in the form of a chemically treated granular or powdered or fibrous or pelleted material. The granular or powdered or pelleted or fibrous material is treated with a reagent mixture or solution comprising an enzyme or enzymes, or a combination of an enzyme with a pigment or another compound, a chromogen, and neutralizer. The chromogen in the reagent solution changes color when the reagent solution is exposed to glucose.