Pump-Free Microfluidic Device for the Electrochemical Detection of α1-Acid Glycoprotein

alpha(1)-Acid glycoprotein (AGP) is a glycoprotein present in serum, which is associated with the modulation of the immune system in response to stress or injuries, and a biomarker for inflammatory diseases and cancers. Here, we propose a pump-free microfluidic device for the electrochemical determination of AGP. The microfluidic device utilizes capillary-driven flow and a passive mixing system to label the AGP with the Os (VI) complex (an electrochemical tag) inside the main channel, before delivering the products to the electrode surface. Furthermore, thanks to the resulting geometry, all the analytical steps can be carried out inside the device: labeling, washing, and detection by adsorptive transfer stripping square wave voltammetry. The microfluidic device exhibited a linear range from 500 to 2000 mg L-1 (R-2 = 0.990) and adequate limit of detection (LOD = 231 mg L-1). Commercial serum samples were analyzed to demonstrate the success of the method, yielding recoveries around 83%. Due to its simplicity, low sample consumption, low cost, short analysis time, disposability, and portability, the proposed method can serve as a point-of-care/need testing device for AGP.

Automated summary

A pump-free microfluidic device for the electrochemical determination of AGP was proposed and demonstrated to be successful. The device allows all analytical steps to be carried out inside, with a wide linear range, low detection limit, and applicability to commercial serum samples.