A Microfluidic Paper-Based Lateral Flow Device for Quantitative ELISA
Ashutosh Kumar,
Cameron Hahn,
Stephen Herchen,
Alex Soucy,
Ethan Carpio,
Sophia Harper,
Nassim Rahmani,
Constantine Anagnostopoulos,
Mohammad Faghri
Affiliations
Ashutosh Kumar
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Cameron Hahn
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Stephen Herchen
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Alex Soucy
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Ethan Carpio
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Sophia Harper
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Nassim Rahmani
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Constantine Anagnostopoulos
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Mohammad Faghri
Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
This study presents an innovative lateral flow microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) designed for conducting quantitative paper-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (p-ELISA), seamlessly executing conventional ELISA steps in a paper-based format. The p-ELISA device utilizes a passive fluidic circuit with functional elements such as a multi-bi-material cantilever (B-MaC) assembly, delay channels, and a buffer zone, all enclosed within housing for autonomous, sequential loading of critical reagents onto the detection zone. This novel approach not only demonstrates a rapid assay completion time of under 30 min, but also boasts reduced reagent requirements, minimal equipment needs, and broad applicability across clinical diagnostics and environmental surveillance. Through detailed descriptions of the design, materials, and fabrication methods for the multi-directional flow assay (MDFA), this manuscript highlights the device’s potential for complex biochemical analyses in a user-friendly and versatile format. Analytical performance evaluation, including a limit of detection (LOD) of 8.4 pM for Rabbit IgG, benchmarks the device’s efficacy compared to existing p-ELISA methodologies. This pioneering work lays the groundwork for future advancements in autonomous diagnostics, aiming to enhance global health outcomes through accessible and reliable testing solutions.
