Non-invasive iron deficiency diagnosis: a saliva-based approach using capillary flow microfluidics†

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a condition characterized by lower-than-average iron (Fe) levels in the body, affecting a substantial number of young children and pregnant women globally. Existing diagnostic methods for IDA rely on invasive analysis of stored Fe in ferritin from blood samples, posing challenges, especially for toddlers and young children. To address this issue, saliva has been proposed as a non-invasive sample matrix for IDA diagnosis. However, conventional Fe analysis techniques often necessitate complex and costly instrumentation. This study presents the first non-invasive, saliva-based preliminary screening test for IDA using a nitrocellulose lateral flow system. In this study, we introduce a novel approach using the ferroin reaction with bathophenanthroline (Bphen) and ferrous (Fe²⁺) ions to quantify Fe levels in saliva. Our methodology involves a capillary flow-driven microfluidic device integrated into a lateral flow system utilizing nitrocellulose membranes. Here, we present the first instance of saliva on a nitrocellulose substrate to detect salivary Fe levels. The optimized system yielded a linear response over the 1–200 ppm range in buffer solution, with a limit of detection (LoD) of 5.6 ppm. Furthermore, the system demonstrated a linear response in pooled saliva samples across the 1–1000 ppm range, with a LoD of 55.1 ppm. These results underscore the potential of our capillary flow-driven microfluidic device as a viable non-invasive diagnostic tool for IDA, particularly in remote and resource-limited settings.