Optical determination of glucose utilizing boronic acid adducts

Abstract

The present invention concerns an improved optical method and optical sensing device for determining the levels of polyhydroxyl-substituted organic molecules in vitro and/or in vivo in aqueous media. The range of detection is between about 400 and 800 nm. In particular, a sensory devise is implemented in a mammal to determine sugar levels. Specifically, a dye is combined with a conjugated nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic boronic acid-substituted bis-onium compound in the presence of a sugar, such as fructose or glucose. The viologens are preferred as the aromatic conjugated nitrogen-containing boronic acid substituted compounds. The method is useful to determine sugar levels in a human being.

1 . A process for covalently attaching a glucose-sensing hydrogel to a plastic optical fiber, comprising:
 functionalizing a surface of the plastic optical fiber with polymerizable groups; and   polymerizing hydrogel forming monomers comprising glucose-sensing moieties with the functionalized surface of the fiber.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic optical fiber comprises polymethyl methacrylate. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein functionalizing the surface of the optical fiber further comprises functionalizing the surface with amino groups, and attaching polymerizable groups to the surface by reaction with the amino groups. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein functionalizing the surface with amino groups comprises reacting a lithium amide solution with the plastic surface to produce an amine-functionalized surface. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein attaching polymerizable groups comprises reacting methacryloylchloride with the amine-functionalized surface in the presence of dodecane and triethylamine. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the glucose-sensing moieties comprise a boronic acid receptor group and a fluorophore group. 
     
     
         7 . An optical glucose sensor, comprising a functionalized plastic optical fiber covalently linked to a glucose-sensing hydrogel.