The miniaturization of analytical systems for different applications is currently a very active field of research. The inherent advantages of micro total analysis systems (lTASs) are well known. Although the fluidic platforms and the development of suitable miniaturized detection systems have been studied extensively, the integration in a single substrate of the electronics that is needed to manage the whole system using a single technology is still a sizeable challenge. In this overview, we discuss the role of the low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) as a potential alternative for miniaturizing analytical systems, since a single technology can easily combine fluidics and electronics to produce a number of novel chemical microanalyzers.

In this paper, the low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) technology, which has been commonly used for electronic applications, is presented as a useful alternative to construct continuous flow analytical microsystems. This technology enables not only the fabrication of complex three-dimensional structures rapidly and at a realistic cost but also the integration of the elements needed to carry out a whole analytical process, such as pretreatment steps, mixers, and detection systems. In this work, a simple and general procedure for the integration of ion-selective electrodes based on liquid ion exchanger is proposed and illustrated by using ammonium- and nitrate-selective membranes. Additionally, a screen-printed reference electrode was easily incorporated into the microfluidic LTCC structure allowing a complete on-chip integration of the potentiometric detection. Analytical features of the proposed systems are presented.

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