Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China have developed a low-cost, immediate, general, and high-throughput (LIGHt) total starch determination of plant leaves using smartphone colorimetry. The performance of LIGHt smartphone colorimetry repeatedly provided significant consistency compared with traditional spectrophotometry detection, which can be easily transferred into a portable, low-cost, Android-based handheld device for convenient colorimetric measurements.
The LIGHt smartphone colorimetry returned an average relative error of 5.74%, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) ranging from 2.58 to 4.31%, a detection limit of 1.53 µg/mL, and an average recovery rate of 95.72%.
“While there is still slightly lower detection precision compared to traditional spectroscopic instruments like microplate readers, the method has proven its feasibility for rapid detection of starch content in tobacco powder and its potential for on-site testing in the tobacco industry due to its good reproducibility and stability,” researchers wrote. “The method does not require complex laboratory equipment or professional personnel to operate, enabling rapid on-site testing. Furthermore, the LIGHt smartphone colorimetry for starch detection resulted in a BAGI score of 80, reflecting its alignment with green chemistry principles and its high practicality.
“The results showed that the LIGHt smartphone colorimetry is expected to effectively improve the efficiency of real-time monitoring of tobacco leaf quality. The proposed method greatly reduces detection costs and operational complexity. The LIGHt total starch determination can be extended to the detection of starch content in fruits, vegetables, and other foods.”