Work by University of Cincinnati researchers to create a sensor that provides fast feedback related to the presence and levels of heavy metals—specifically manganese—in humans is published in the August issue of the prestigious international journal, Biomedical Microdevices.

Described in the article is the development of a low-cost, disposable lab-on-a-chip sensor that detects highly electronegative heavy metals more quickly than current technology generally available in health-care settings. It’s envisioned that the new UC sensor technology will be used in point-of-care devices that provide needed feedback on heavy-metal levels within about ten minutes.

It’s expected that the sensor will have potential for large-scale use in clinical, occupational and research settings, e.g., for nutrition testing in children.