Journal
ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
Volume 919, Issue -, Pages 70-77Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2016.03.018
Keywords
Paper-based microfluidic device; Paperfluidics; Technical drawing pen; Permanent ink; Custom refillable in-house formulated ink; Smartphone detection; Antioxidant activity screening
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Paper-based microfluidic devices (mu PADs) are capable of achieving rapid quantitative measurements of a variety of analytes inexpensively. mu PADs rely on patterning hydrophilic-hydrophobic regions on a sheet of paper in order to create capillary channels within impermeable fluidic brakes on the paper. Here, we present a novel, highly flexible and low-cost fabrication method using a desktop digital craft plotter/cutter and technical drawing pens with tip size of 0.5 mm. The pens were used with either commercial black permanent ink for drawing fluidic brakes, or with specialty in-house formulated aqueous inks. With the permanent marker ink it was possible to create barriers on paper rapidly and in a variety of designs in a highly flexible manner. For instance, a design featuring eight reservoirs can be produced within 10 s for each mu PAD with a consistent line width of brakes (% RSD < 1.5). Further, we investigated the optimal viscosity range of in-house formulated inks controlled with additions of poly(ethylene glycol). The viscosity was measured by capillary electrophoresis and the optimal viscosity was in the range of similar to 3-6 mPa s. A functional test of these mu PADs was conducted by the screening of antioxidant activity. Colorimetric measurements of flavonoid, phenolic compounds and DPPH free radical scavenging activity were carried out on mu PADs. The results can be detected by the naked eye and simply quantified by using a camera phone and image analysis software. The fabrication method using technical drawing pens provides flexibility in the use of in-house formulated inks, short fabrication time, simplicity and low cost. Crown Copyright (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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