Capillary-Driven Toner-Based Microfluidic Devices for Clinical Diagnostics with Colorimetric Detection

The fabrication of toner-based microfluidic devices to perform clinical diagnostics with capillary action and colorimetric detection is described in this report. Test zones and microfluidic channels were drawn in a graphic software package and laser printed on a polyester film. The printed layout and its mirror image were aligned with an intermediary cut-through polyester film and then thermally laminated together at 150 degrees C at 60 cm/min to obtain a channel with ca. 100-mu m depth. Colorimetric assays for glucose, protein, and cholesterol were successfully performed using a desktop scanner. The limit of detection (LD) values found for protein, cholesterol, and glucose were 8, 0.2, and 0.3 mg/mL,, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values for an interdevices comparison were 6%, 1%, and 3% for protein, cholesterol, and glucose, respectively. Bioassays were successfully performed on toner-based devices stored at different temperatures during five consecutive days without loss of activity.