Abstract

Thread Microfluidics With Pin-Based Electroanalytical Detection

Maria Teresa Fernández-Abedul, Associate Professor, University of Oviedo

Microfluidics is nowadays a field with applications in different scientific areas, Analytical Chemistry among them. Combination of electroanalytical detection and microfluidics has allowed designing a great variety of miniaturised devices. Paper electrodes and microchannels that lead the flow over electrodes are excellent examples of low-cost portable analytical platforms for field analysis. Moreover, one-dimensional microfluidics can be performed in microchannels of e.g. electrophoresis microchips or wax-delimited areas in paper devices. Thread is an still unexplored material that allows passive transport of solutions and that can also be combined with electrochemical detection. However, thin or thick films (e.g. sputtering of metals or layers of carbon ink) employed in polymer microchips or paper are not very appropriate for thread. A new type of low-cost electrodes is required. In this work, mass-produced stainless-steel pins are presented as a new generation of electrodes that can be used not only for biosensing and for developing injection analysis methodologies but also for microfluidic applications. Determination of glucose in real food samples and lactate in human serum are presented as a proof-of-concept.