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Semi-enclosed microfluidic device on glass-fiber membrane with enhanced signal quality for colorimetric analyte detection in whole blood

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Abstract

Microfluidic analytical devices manufactured on paper and similar inexpensive substrates (µ-PADs) have shown considerable promise for disease diagnostics in resource-limited regions. However, current commercialization approaches can be improved substantially by addressing existing technical challenges associated with µ-PADs. Among these, off-device plasma separation from whole blood is a critical challenge in µ-PAD technology that limits commercialization. Existing µ-PADs made by combining multiple components require extra fabrication steps and manufacturing material. Our approach utilizes a two-step plasma process to fabricate single-layer semi-enclosed µ-PADs directly on a commercially available blood plasma separation membrane to incorporate blood plasma separation functionality into the device. The semi-enclosed µ-PADs are bonded with low-cost adhesive plastic tape to provide mechanical support to the device and make it more mechanically robust for field applications. Detection zones of the µ-PADs have also been modified with a cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) to increase colorimetric signal homogeneity, thus enhancing signal quality. The CNC-modified µ-PADs have been used for colorimetric detection of two model analytes (glucose and albumin) in whole blood. Colorimetric signals for both glucose and albumin from whole blood samples were consistent with the calibration curves generated using stock solutions.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Ashwini Sinha at Linde for donating the pentafluoroethane precursor. The authors also thank Jianshan Liao (Georgia Tech) for preparing the CNC suspensions.

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  1. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0100, USA

    N. Raj, V. Breedveld & D. W. Hess

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  1. N. Raj
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Correspondence to D. W. Hess.

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Raj, N., Breedveld, V. & Hess, D.W. Semi-enclosed microfluidic device on glass-fiber membrane with enhanced signal quality for colorimetric analyte detection in whole blood. Microfluid Nanofluid 25, 47 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-021-02447-6

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