Optical characterization of oxygen and glucose concentrations in microfluidic systems using pressure sensitive paint

Abstract

In this study, pressure sensitive paint (PSP) was employed to analyze the spatial distribution of oxygen and glucose levels within a microfluidic chip. The luminescent sensing film, a commercially available sprayable PSP, responds to oxygen partial pressure through luminescence quenching. Using specific wavelength light sources and a color camera, the optical response of PSP was investigated in both gas and liquid environments. To explore glucose-related oxygen consumption, glucose oxidase was added to the liquid sample and mixed before being introduced into the microfluidic system. The oxygen depletion caused by the enzymatic reaction was observed through changes in PSP luminescence. The results demonstrate that sprayable PSP can visually represent oxygen and glucose distribution patterns within microfluidic systems. This technology is promising for microfluidic applications, such as visualizing chemical compounds in cell cultures.