Open-Source Colorimeter

Abstract

The high cost of what have historically been sophisticated research-related sensors and tools has limited their adoption to a relatively small group of well-funded researchers. This paper provides a methodology for applying an open-source approach to design and development of a colorimeter. A 3-D printable, open-source colorimeter utilizing only open-source hardware and software solutions and readily available discrete components is discussed and its performance compared to a commercial portable colorimeter. Performance is evaluated with commercial vials prepared for the closed reflux chemical oxygen demand (COD) method. This approach reduced the cost of reliable closed reflux COD by two orders of magnitude making it an economic alternative for the vast majority of potential users. The open-source colorimeter demonstrated good reproducibility and serves as a platform for further development and derivation of the design for other, similar purposes such as nephelometry. This approach promises unprecedented access to sophisticated instrumentation based on low-cost sensors by those most in need of it, under-developed and developing world laboratories.

Open-Source Wax RepRap 3-D Printer for Rapid Prototyping Paper-Based Microfluidics

“…For example, the most common detection method for paper microfluidic devices is colorimetric, 46,47 and there are already well-established techniques for utilizing Arduino-based open-source electronics and RepRap 3-D printing to make handheld detection devices. 14,15,17 However, colorimetric detection works well for yes/no detection, but is difficult to calibrate to a quantitative measure in microfluidic applications. For a microfluidic device, this is the difference between a pregnancy test and a blood glucose-level test.…”

“…5 Preliminary analysis of the economic value of an open hardware approach 7 indicates that scientific funders can obtain a return on such investments in the hundreds or thousands of percent. 8 This has resulted in an explosion of high-quality 3-D printable lab tools for biology labs 9 and biotechnological and chemical labware, [10][11][12] optics and optical system components, 13 colorimetery, 14 nephelometers 15 and turbidimeters, 16 nitrate testing, 17 liquid autosampling 18 with robot arms, 19 automated sensing arrays, 20 and compatible components for medical applications. 21 Not only are relatively inexpensive 3-D printed parts being used to replace conventional scientific tools, but they are also being used to create new scientific opportunities for investigation.…”

Evaluation of Potential Fair Trade Standards for an Ethical 3-D Printing Filament

“…RepRaps are a low cost and easily repairable 3-D printer that can be used for both self upgrades, reprodution and fabricating replacement parts for low costs (Jones, et al, 2011). The cost of the printers themselves has already been shown to be an economically advantageous investment for scientific laboratories, schools and now middle-class households (Pearce, 2012;Anzalone, et al, 2013;Zhang, et al, 2013;Wittbrodt, et al, 2013). This economic feasibility exists despite highly marked-up costs of commercial 3-D printing filament (Baecheler, et al 2013).…”

Open-Source 3-D Platform for Low-Cost Scientific Instrument Ecosystem

“…3 With the technology progressively maturing, the RepRap project has created a distributed form of production with low-cost polymer-based materials, which commonly include polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). 4 Scientists in many fields have begun using RepRap 3-D printers to design, manufacture, and share the open-source digital designs of scientific equipment, [5][6][7] including colorimeters, 8 nephelometers, 9 and turbidimeters; 10 phasor measurement units; 11 optics and optical system components; 12 liquid autosampers; 13 microfluidic handlers; 14 biotechnological and chemical labware; [15][16][17] mass spectroscopy equipment; 18 automated sensing arrays; 19 DNA nanotechnology lab tools; 20 and compatible components for medical apparatuses such as MRI. 21 Sharing of digital designs brings researchers, educators, and citizen scientists state-of-the-art scientific tools at incredibly low costs.…”