Smartphone-Based Extension of the Curcumin/Cellophane pH Sensing Method

摘要

Smartphone-based extension of the previously published (Food Anal Meth doi:10.1007/s12161-015-0102-1 2015a) curcumin-coloured cellophane test strip pH sensing method is reported. Replacement of the ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectrophotometer with an android-based device can reach a wider audience, in accordance with the ongoing, significant increase in the field of smartphone-based analytical applications. On the basis of the colouring effect of curcumin on biopolymers, a new, qualitative, quick and low-cost method for pH determination is developed, which provides more sensitive detection than the bare eye checking. Next to cellophane substrate, curcumin/gelatine sensor arrays are studied, too. Food-industrial and health-care products are targeted with a modular system based on the curcumin-coloured cellophane/gelatine sensor array, a free android application running on a smartphone, together with a home-written data analyser software. In situ monitoring and local pH mapping in liquid cell, investigation with curcumin dotted cellophane array and long-time stable, dried curcumin-coloured gelatine capsules are discussed.