The colorimetric and microfluidic paper-based detection of cysteine and homocysteine using 1,5-diphenylcarbazide-capped silver nanoparticles

We have prepared a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (mu PAD) for the determination of cysteine and homocysteine based on 1,5-diphenylcarbazide-capped silver nanoparticles. The mu PAD was developed to identify and quantify the levels of cysteine and homocysteine. The proposed mu PAD enabled the detection of cysteine and homocysteine using a colorimetric reaction based on modified silver nanoparticles. The color of the modified AgNPs in the test zone immediately changed after the addition of cysteine and homocysteine. Based on this change, the quantification of these two amino acids was achieved using an RGB color model and ImageJ software. Under optimized conditions, the proposed device enabled the determination of cysteine in the 0.20-20.0 mu M concentration range with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.16 mu M. In addition, the LOD of homocysteine was calculated to be 0.25 mu M with a linear range of 0.50-20.0 mu M. In this work, we focused on the use of the mu PAD for the analysis of a series of human urine samples.