Development of a paper-based microfluidic device for electrophoretic character- ization of dyes

FRANCK, NICOLÁS; GERLERO, GABRIEL S.; SCHAUMBURG, FEDERICO; URTEAGA, RAÚL; KLER, PABLO A.

Congreso; III Brazil-Argentine Microfluidics Congress -- VI Congreso de Microfluídica Argentina; 2022

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices are now a well-established technology, although as-pects related to the transport of chemical species need to be improved to reach higher levels ofanalytical precision, efficiency, and portability. This work focuses on the numerical simulation-aideddesign and the experimental validation of a paper-based microfluidic device for the electrophoreticcharacterization of dyes. The measurement process involves two stages: the sample capillaryfilling with the aim of obtain a suitable initial disposition of the dye in the strip, and next, theelectrophoretic transport for the proper mobility measurement. Numerical prototypes to guide thedesign process were implemented in OpenFOAM® software, by using porousMicroTransport and electroMicroTransport toolboxes. After geometrical and operative optimization, the proto-types were manufactured in Whatman #1 laminated paper and tested with different dyes obtainingreproducible measurement protocols as well as consistent results. Such results will be used in thenear future to build a paper-based microfluidic device to quantify substances of environmentalinterest trough paper-based electrophoretic methods with direct optical quantitative detection.