Enhancing albumin detection with Chemometrics: A multivariate approach to Bromocresol Green-based Colorimetric sensor development

The detection of human serum albumin (HSA) in urine is crucial for the early diagnosis of nephrotic syndromes and diabetic nephropathy. In this study, we developed a cost-effective, colorimetric sensor based on Bromocresol Green (BCG) sorbed on Color Catcher® (CC) sheets for albumin detection. The sensor undergoes a visible color change from yellow to blue upon interaction with albumin at acidic pH, enabling qualitative detection. A Design of Experiment (DoE) approach was applied to optimize sensor preparation and application and to control experimental variability within the lab-scale preparation procedure, ensuring enhanced sensitivity and robustness. Several multivariate data analysis tools, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Discriminant Analysis (LDA and QDA), were merged to describe the samples, develop robust and predictive models and assess detection performance. The optimized sensor proved a detection limit as low as 0.5 μM for albumin, making it a promising candidate for rapid, low-cost, and user-friendly point-of-care (PoC) applications. • BCG-CC@ sensor enables a user-friendly visible color change for albumin detection. • DoE approach is applied to optimize BCG-CC@ sensor preparation and application. • Plackett-Burman Design ensures sensor robustness and repeatability, down to 0.5 μM. • PCA coupled with Discriminant Analysis are employed to enhance detection accuracy. • The optimized sensor's reproducibility and simplicity posh towards PoC applications.