Determination of iron concentration in blood using a chemiluminescence method with a mobile phone-based detector

Abstract

Background & objective: This research focuses on developing a novel chemiluminescence (CL) detection device for measuring Fe (III) concentration using a mobile phone-based system. The study addresses the need for a more sensitive and cost-effective method to detect iron (III), particularly in the blood of Thalassemia patients.

Methodology: The device utilizes a highly sensitive photosensor and features a simple, user-friendly design. The experimental section describes the development of the device, which measures the light intensity produced by the reaction between luminol and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Fe (III) as a catalyst.

Results: Optimal reaction conditions were established to ensure accurate measurements. Light intensity was detected using a mobile phone equipped with the Remote XY application, which converted the signal into millivolts (mV) for analysis. The calibration curve followed Beer's law within a concentration range of 1×10⁻⁵ to 1×10⁻¹ M, with a molar absorption coefficient (Ɛ) of 2.09 × 10⁵ L·mol⁻¹·cm⁻¹. The limit of detection (LOD) was determined to be 0.21 ppm, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.7 ppm, with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.9997 and a relative standard deviation (RSD%) of 0.082%.

Conclusions: The device was tested on 25 blood samples from thalassemia patients, and the results were validated against a colorimetric Cromatest kit. The T-test and F-test values of 1 and 0.976, respectively, indicate strong agreement between the two methods.

Keywords: Bioluminescence; Chemiluminescence; Luminol; Photo sensor; Thalassemia

Citation: Salih BM, Ali AM, Bayati M. Determination of iron concentration in blood using a chemiluminescence method with a mobile phone-based detector. Anaesth Pain Intensive Care. 2025;29(x):932-940. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v29i.3020.

Received: July 18, 2025; Revised: August 05, 2025; Accepted: August 06, 2025