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Paper-based three-dimensional microfluidic device for monitoring of heavy metals with a camera cell phone

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Abstract

A 3D paper-based microfluidic device has been developed for colorimetric determination of selected heavy metals in water samples by stacking layers of wax patterned paper and double-sided adhesive tape. It has the capability of wicking fluids and distributing microliter volumes of samples from single inlet into affrays of detection zones without external pumps, thus a range of metal assays can be simply and inexpensively performed. We demonstrate a prototype of four sample inlets for up to four heavy metal assays each, with detection limits as follows: Cu (II) = 0.29 ppm, Ni(II) = 0.33 ppm, Cd (II) = 0.19 ppm, and Cr (VI) = 0.35 ppm, which provided quantitative data that were in agreement with values gained from atomic absorption. It has the ability to identify these four metals in mixtures and is immune to interferences from either nontoxic metal ions such as Na(I) and K(I) or components found in reservoir or beach water. With the incorporation of a portable detector, a camera mobile phone, this 3D paper-based microfluidic device should be useful as a simple, rapid, and on-site screening approach of heavy metals in aquatic environments.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41006071) and Scientific Research Project of Liaoning Education Department (No. L2013478 and L2013479).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental and Chemical Engineering College, Dalian University, No.10 Xufu Road, Economic Development Zone, Dalian, China

    Hu Wang, Jun-feng Wei, Ji-run Xu & Guo-xia Zheng

  2. Medical College, Dalian University, No.10 Xufu Road, Economic Development Zone, Dalian, China

    Ya-jie Li & Yun-hua Wang

  3. Microfluidic Research Institute, Dalian University, No.10 Xufu Road, Economic Development Zone, Dalian, China

    Hu Wang, Ya-jie Li, Jun-feng Wei, Yun-hua Wang & Guo-xia Zheng

Authors
  1. Hu Wang
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  2. Ya-jie Li
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  3. Jun-feng Wei
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  4. Ji-run Xu
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  5. Yun-hua Wang
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  6. Guo-xia Zheng
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Correspondence to Yun-hua Wang or Guo-xia Zheng.

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Wang, H., Li, Yj., Wei, Jf. et al. Paper-based three-dimensional microfluidic device for monitoring of heavy metals with a camera cell phone. Anal Bioanal Chem 406, 2799–2807 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7715-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7715-x

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