Hardware and Sensor Optimization of a Nanotechnology Enabled Implantable Sensor for Hormones in Marine Animals

Biologging has yielded tremendous insights in ecological biology by enabling the collection of data in animals free-roaming in their environments. However, measurements have largely been limited to temperature, pressure, and movement. Physiological data of animals’ biomarkers would create valuable orthogonal datasets and produce more nuanced understanding of organisms in the context of their environments and behaviors. Nevertheless, successes in collecting such biochemical information remain absent. In this work, we explore hardware and sensor optimization of nanotechnology-enabled implantable sensor for tracking hormone levels in marine animals. We have extensively studied the performance of nanosensors based on polymer-wrapped single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) embedded within a biocompatible poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel under various temperatures, illumination conditions, and sensor concentrations. We have further prototyped a miniaturized fluorescent system integrated into commercially available acoustic tags used in marine biology. An integrated nanosensor hydrogel reached 100 nM limit of progesterone detection as an example of important hormone in marine animals. The developed form-factor will complement the presently collected data by providing insights into the physiological state of the animals in the context of their behavior and environments. With these new data, biologging studies will reach a new level of sophistication and nuanced understanding.