Nitric oxide-releasing xerogel-based fiber-optic pH sensors

A xerogel-based optical pH sensor capable of releasing low levels of nitric oxide (NO) and measuring changes in solution pH is reported. Through simple dip-coating procedures, aminoalkoxysilane-based xerogel films modified with N-diazeniumdiolate NO donor precursors and the fluorescent pH indicator seminaphthorhodamine-1 carboxylate (SNARF-1) were sequentially deposited onto optical fibers. The resulting sensors were characterized by fast and linear response to pH throughout the physiological range (pH 7.0-7.8). Real-time chemiluminescence measurements confirmed that the presence of the overlying SNARF-1-containing TMOS layer did not have an inhibitory effect on N-diazeniumdiolate formation or NO release, and the NO-releasing coatings were capable of maintaining NO fluxes > 0.4 pmol/cm(2) s up to 16 h. In vitro blood compatibility studies using porcine platelets confirmed the expected thromboresistivity of the NO-releasing xerogel coatings.