3D printed carbon and copper electrochemical sensors for the determination of reducing sugars to diagnose intestinal malabsorption

Malabsorption occurs when there is difficulty in digesting or absorbing key nutrients such as sugars from food. This often occurs in younger children or those with bowel disorders but is more prevalent in the elderly. Early diagnosis of sugar malabsorption can aid management, but the widely used faecal Benedict’s reagent test for total sugar measurement often provides false positive results during assay and lacks sensitivity. Therefore, there is a need for a more robust assay for detection of total faecal reducing sugars. We developed a dual extruded 3D printed copper polylactic acid (Cu/PLA) and carbon black polylactic acid (CB/PLA) electrode in a helix design (DE electrode). The DE electrode had enhanced stability when compared to copper film deposited CB/PLA electrodes. The DE electrode was able to detect monosaccharides and disaccharides, with greater sensitivity for monosaccharides. The DE electrode was shown to be more effective for the detection of total sugars within faecal pellet samples when compared to the Benedict’s reagent test. Using the DE electrode, we observed a greater amount of total sugar within faecal pellets from 24-month-old animals when compared to 12-month-old animals. Overall, the DE electrode provides an effective approach for monitoring total sugar levels in stool and provide an effective diagnosis and prognosis tool for malabsorption.