# Rapid and Quantitative Detection of TNF-α in Human Tears Using a Portable Electrochemiluminescence-Based Device

## TL;DR

A portable device was developed to quickly and accurately detect TNF-α in human tears, aiding in the diagnosis of dry eye syndrome.

## Contribution

The device integrates a novel ECL-based platform with a VSM-coated electrode for enhanced sensitivity in tear analysis.

## Key findings

- The device achieved a wide linear detection range of 0.1 to 200 pg/mL for TNF-α.
- It uses only 3 μL of tear sample and provides rapid, quantitative results.
- The VSM-coated electrode improves ECL signal amplification and sensitivity.

## Abstract

Personalized, point-of-care testing of human tears is essential for ocular disease diagnosis, yet it is hampered by picomolar biomarker levels and microliter sample volumes. In this work, we developed an integrated, portable electrochemiluminescence (ECL)-based device for rapid and quantitative detection of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a pivotal inflammatory marker in ocular surface disease, with particular relevance to dry eye syndrome (DES). The device integrates a miniaturized electrochemical cell for ECL reactions and a compact silica photomultiplier for signal measurement. A vertical silica mesochannel (VSM)-coated ITO electrode is also integrated and further functionalized with TNF-α-specific aptamers. The VSM enables the enrichment of ECL luminophores, thus enabling further amplification of ECL signals and enhancing sensitivity. A wide linear range from 0.1 to 200 pg/mL was achieved using 10-fold dilution of 3 μL tear samples. Overall, this study provides a portable, highly sensitive platform for personalized analysis of TNF-α in tear fluid, enabling rapid point-of-care assessment of DES.