UV-Vis and Fluorescence Spectrophotometric Methods for Quantitative Analysis of Creatinine
Start Date
7-8-2026 10:45 AM
End Date
7-8-2026 11:00 AM
Location
ALT 203
Abstract
Urinary creatinine is a chemical biomarker that can be used for determination of kidney health and as a possible indicator of whether or not a drug test has been tampered with. The most common method for creatinine detection is based on the Jaffe reaction using picric acid, which rapidly forms a vivid orange-red complex whose intensity is directly proportional to the creatinine concentration. However, picric acid is toxic and its dry form is highly explosive. Among other possible complexing agents for detection of creatinine, 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (DNBA) is significantly safer to handle and less harmful to the environment. The reaction between creatinine and DNBA under basic conditions produces a purple-colored product that can be detected using visible spectrophotometry. With the addition of H₂O₂, the creatinine-DNBA product also exhibits fluorescence, giving an additional sensitive detection pathway. The goal of this summer research is to investigate and optimize the analytical conditions for the quantitative analysis of creatinine using both UV–Vis and fluorescence spectrophotometric techniques, with DNBA serving as the complexing agent. Furthermore, efforts are underway to develop paper-based creatinine assays. Both RGB colorimetric analysis and fluorescence detection will be tested. Laser-cutting, screen-printing, and wax-tracing techniques are being investigated for the fabrication of paper-based microfluidic devices.
UV-Vis and Fluorescence Spectrophotometric Methods for Quantitative Analysis of Creatinine
ALT 203
Urinary creatinine is a chemical biomarker that can be used for determination of kidney health and as a possible indicator of whether or not a drug test has been tampered with. The most common method for creatinine detection is based on the Jaffe reaction using picric acid, which rapidly forms a vivid orange-red complex whose intensity is directly proportional to the creatinine concentration. However, picric acid is toxic and its dry form is highly explosive. Among other possible complexing agents for detection of creatinine, 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (DNBA) is significantly safer to handle and less harmful to the environment. The reaction between creatinine and DNBA under basic conditions produces a purple-colored product that can be detected using visible spectrophotometry. With the addition of H₂O₂, the creatinine-DNBA product also exhibits fluorescence, giving an additional sensitive detection pathway. The goal of this summer research is to investigate and optimize the analytical conditions for the quantitative analysis of creatinine using both UV–Vis and fluorescence spectrophotometric techniques, with DNBA serving as the complexing agent. Furthermore, efforts are underway to develop paper-based creatinine assays. Both RGB colorimetric analysis and fluorescence detection will be tested. Laser-cutting, screen-printing, and wax-tracing techniques are being investigated for the fabrication of paper-based microfluidic devices.
