Electrochemical sensing in paper-based microfluidic devices

This paper describes the fabrication and the performance of microfluidic paper-based electrochemical sensing devices (we call the microfluidic paper-based electrochemical devices, mu PEDs). The mu PEDs comprise paper-based microfluidic channels patterned by photolithography or wax printing, and electrodes screen-printed from conducting inks (e. g., carbon or Ag/AgCl). We demonstrated that the mu PEDs are capable of quantifying the concentrations of various analytes (e. g., heavy-metal ions and glucose) in aqueous solutions. This low-cost analytical device should be useful for applications in public health, environmental monitoring, and the developing world.