(321c) Corona Phase Molecular Recognition Sensors in Marine Organisms for Physiological Biologging: A Feasibility Study

For decades, biologgers have been tagging animals with various types of sensors to study aspects of their behavior unable to be queries in controlled laboratory environments. To date, environmental and physiological chemical information remains an underutilized data source that offers tremendous potential to raise the level of insight gained from such studies. In this work, we explored the feasibility of applying a synthetic chemical sensing technology, Corona Phase Molecular Recognition (CoPhMoRe), to marine organism biologging. Fluorescent DNA-wrapped single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) were fabricated, encapsulated in a biocompatible hydrogel, and shown to experience fluorescence quenching when exposed to riboflavin, a key nutrient in oxidative phosphorylation. Over three days at Oceanogràfic in Valencia, Spain, animal experiments were performed in seven species of fish, sharks, eels, and turtles. Hydrogels were delivered subcutaneously via trocar and imaged using an inexpensive Raspberry Pi camera system. Hydrogels could be detected up to a depth of 7 mm in teleost and catshark species. The effects of tissue heterogeneity on hydrogel delivery and fluorescence visibility were also explored, with darker tissues masking hydrogel fluorescence. Hydrogels were implanted into a living turtle, eel, and catshark. The catshark and eel ls displayed no adverse health effects and or changes in tissue architecture 2 months after the hydrogel implantation, indicating good tolerance of the implant. The turtle experienced a foreign body reaction to the implant. All three animals displayed similar movement and feeding behaviors before and after the implant. Taken together, these results indicate that the application of CoPhMoRe to marine organism biologging is indeed feasible and warrants future development. Future studies will refine the sensor configuration and use a larger numbers of animals.