Electrochemical Diagnostic Strip Device for Total Cholesterol and Its Subfractions

This article describes a novel patented electrochemical diagnostic device for determining total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL intended for use in a doctor's office. The device comprises a feeder strip which transfers the sample to the detection zone where the detection is amperometric with ferrocyanide as mediator for the cholesterol/cholesterol oxidase reaction. In order to determine HDL, the other cholesterol subfractions were precipitated and a fibrous disk used to filter out the precipitate. Responses for total cholesterol in the range 2.81 mM to 13.0 mM compare well with a standard method and linear calibration plots have been obtained for cholesterol and HDL. HDL has a linear response between 0.76 mM and 2.3 mM. The device forms a model for a the development of a manufacturable prototype based on screen printed electrodes.