A Hybrid Approach for Large-scale Fabrication of Paper-based Electrochemical Assays for Biomedical Diagnosis

Abstract

The electrochemical method offers a sensitive, portable, and cost-effective method for detecting a range of analytes and has the capacity to be miniaturized. However, according to the World Health Organization, there is a need for point-of-care devices that meet the criteria for medical diagnostics in remote and resource-limited regions, as set forth by the World Health Organization. In this context, we developed a low-cost and high-throughput method for fabricating paper-based devices for electrochemical assays using a desktop pen plotter. In this study, we used a permanent marker to plot hydrophobic barriers and a liquid dispenser to pattern three electrodes (working, counter, and reference electrodes) with carbon paste on a paper substrate. To test the performance of the fabricated electrochemical devices, chronoamperometric and cyclic voltammetric analyses of potassium ferricyanide was conducted. Further, to demonstrate of the possible biomedical diagnostic applications, a quantitative glucose assay was performed. Here, we presented a low-cost electrochemical device fabrication method convenient for large-scale fabrication and widespread implementation of paper-based technologies in developing countries and resource-limited settings.

Keywords

• pen plotter,paper-based assays,electrochemical,glucose assay,high-throughput,biosensor

References

1. 1. Metters, JP, Houssein, SM, Kampouris, DK, et al. 2013. Paper-based electroanalytical sensing platforms. Analytical Methods; 5:103-10.
2. 2. Zhao, C, Thuo, MM, Liu, X. 2013. A microfluidic paper-based electrochemical biosensor array for multiplexed detection of metabolic biomarkers. Science and Technology of Advanced Materials; 14(5):054402.
3. 3. Amin, R, Ghaderinezhad, F, Li, L, et al. 2017. Continuous-Ink, Multiplexed Pen-Plotter Approach for Low-Cost, High-Throughput Fabrication of Paper-Based Microfluidics. Analytical Chemistry; 89 (12): 6351–57.
4. 4. Martinez, AW, Phillips, ST, Whitesides, GM, et al. 2010. Diagnostics for the developing world: microfluidic paper-based analytical devices. Analytical Chemistry; 82 (1): 3–10.
5. 5. Lepowsky, E, Ghaderinezhad, F, Knowlton, S, et al. 2017. Paper-based assays for urine analysis. Biomicrofluidics; 11(5):051501. 6. Li, B, Yu, L, Qi, J, et al. 2017. Controlling Capillary-driven Fluid Transport in Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices Using Movable Valve. Analytical Chemistry; 89 (11): 5707-12.
6. 7. Ghaderinezhad, F, Amin, R, Temirel, M, et al. 2017. High-throughput rapid-prototyping of low-cost paper-based microfluidics. Scientific Reports; 7:3553.
7. 8. Morbioli, GG, Mazzu-Nascimento, T, Milan, LA, et al. 2017. Improving Sample Distribution Homogeneity in Three-Dimensional Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical Devices by Rational Device Design. Analytical Chemistry; 89(9):4786-92.
8. 9. Rahbar, M, Nesterenko, PN, Paull, B, and Macka, M. 2017. Geometrical alignment of multiple fabrication steps for rapid prototyping of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices. Analytical Chemistry; 89(22): 11918-11923.

9. 10. Li, Z, Li, F, Hu, J, et al. 2015. Direct writing electrodes using a ball pen for paper-based point-of-care testing. Analyst; 140(16):5526-35.
10. 11. Dungchai, W, Chailapakul, O, Henry, CS. 2009. Electrochemical detection for paper-based microfluidics. Analytical chemistry; 81(14):5821-6.
11. 12. Yang, Y, Noviana, E, Nguyen, MP, et al. 2016. Paper-based Microfluidic Devices: Emerging Themes and Applications. Analytical chemistry; 89(1):71-91.
12. 13. Shiroma, LY, Santhiago, M, Gobbi, AL, et al. 2012. Separation and electrochemical detection of paracetamol and 4-aminophenol in a paper-based microfluidic device. Analytica Chimica Acta; 725(6):44-50.
13. 14. Liana, DD, Raguse, B, Wieczorek, L, et al. 2013. Sintered gold nanoparticles as an electrode material for paper-based electrochemical sensors. RSC Advances; 3(23):8683-91.
14. 15. Hu, C, Bai, X, Wang, Y, et al. 2012. Inkjet printing of nanoporous gold electrode arrays on cellulose membranes for high-sensitive paper-like electrochemical oxygen sensors using ionic liquid electrolytes. Analytical chemistry; 84(8):3745-50.
15. 16. Ruecha, N, Chailapakul, O, Suzuki, K, et al. 2017. Fully inkjet-printed paper-based potentiometric ion-sensing devices. Analytical Chemistry; 89(19):10608-16.
16. 17. Nie, Z, Deiss, F, Liu, X, et al. 2010. Integration of paper-based microfluidic devices with commercial electrochemical readers. Lab on a Chip; 10(22):3163-9.
17. 18. Dossi, N, Toniolo, R, Pizzariello, A, et al. 2013. Pencil‐drawn paper supported electrodes as simple electrochemical detectors for paper‐based fluidic devices. Electrophoresis; 34:2085-91.
18. 19. Russo, A, Ahn, BY, Adams, JJ, et al. 2011. Pen‐on‐paper flexible electronics. Advanced Materials; 23(30):3426-30.
19. 20. Ghosale, A, Shrivas, K, Shankar, R, et al. 2016. Low-Cost Paper Electrode Fabricated by Direct Writing with Silver Nanoparticle-Based Ink for Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide in Wastewater. Analytical chemistry; 89(1):776-82.