Jaundice can now be detected through thumb imprint, thanks to the IIT-G researchers

Researchers of Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, (IIT-G) recently employed a technique that makes use of gold nanoclusters and copper sulphate for quick tests for bilirubin levels. A team led by Prof. Arun Chattopadhyay from the Department of Chemistry and Centre for Nanotechnology, IIT Guwahati, used thumb imprints to detect hyperbilirubinemia. The results were published in the journal Scientific Reports. “When a person has jaundice, the bilirubin gets deposited on the skin surface. We wanted to develop a quick test to confirm if the bilirubin amount has exceeded the permissible limit in the blood,” says Prof. Chattopadhyay. The team has been working on nanotechnology for more than 10 years, and, in recent years, on luminiscent atomic nanoclusters. “You need to press the thumb on the membrane for a few minutes to restore the yellow luminescence in the gold nanoclusters. Immediately after taking an impression, the same thumb cannot be used on a different membrane to restore the luminescence of copper-deposited gold nanoclusters. This could be because there is insufficient bilirubin present on the skin of the thumb after the first impression,” says Prof. Chattopadhyay.   Stay updated on the go with GPlus News. Click here to download the app for your device.