Disposable Paper-Based Biosensors for the Point-of-Care Detection of Hazardous Contaminations—A Review

Abstract

The fast detection of trace amounts of hazardous contaminations can prevent serious damage to the environment. Paper-based sensors offer a new perspective on the world of analytical methods, overcoming previous limitations by fabricating a simple device with valuable benefits such as flexibility, biocompatibility, disposability, biodegradability, easy operation, large surface-to-volume ratio, and cost-effectiveness. Depending on the performance type, the device can be used to analyze the analyte in the liquid or vapor phase. For liquid samples, various structures (including a dipstick, as well as microfluidic and lateral flow) have been constructed. Paper-based 3D sensors are prepared by gluing and folding different layers of a piece of paper, being more user-friendly, due to the combination of several preparation methods, the integration of different sensor elements, and the connection between two methods of detection in a small set. Paper sensors can be used in chromatographic, electrochemical, and colorimetric processes, depending on the type of transducer. Additionally, in recent years, the applicability of these sensors has been investigated in various applications, such as food and water quality, environmental monitoring, disease diagnosis, and medical sciences. Here, we review the development (from 2010 to 2021) of paper methods in the field of the detection and determination of toxic substances.

Inkjet Printing: A Viable Technology for Biosensor Fabrication

“…Decades of extensive research in the field of printing technologies have led to a major diversification in the number of developed printing techniques. For biosensing fabrication, besides the major contributions of screen printing [70] and inkjet printing [71], other techniques such as 3D printing [72], gravure printing [73], reverse offset printing [74], flexographic printing [75], e-beam, photo, and probe-based lithographies [76,77], and laser printing [78] have also been studied. The main purpose of the developed printing techniques has been: simplicity, flexibility, miniaturization, high throughput, high accuracy, high resolution, remote applicability, portability, increased data density, and economical fabrication methodologies for mass production.…”

Visual diagnosis of COVID-19 disease based on serum metabolites using a paper-based electronic tongue

“…Compared to PCR, the sensing methods have a shorter detection time, and show higher sensitivity for the diagnosis of patients [ 8 ]. However, they suffer from the costly and time-consuming fabrication process, and require special storage conditions [ 9 ].…”

Design of Chopsticks-Shaped Heating Resistors for a Thermal Inkjet: Based on TaN Film

“…In sensor manufacturing, screen printing [ 3 ] and inkjet printing [ 4 , 5 ] have a high penetration rate. In addition, there are 3D printing, flexographic printing [ 6 ], laser printing [ 7 ], and other new fields. In recent years, food printing has received more attention.…”