Athira Sethu
Kochi, 19 September 2024
Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology in Mohali have developed a methodology to create paper-based devices by using an affordable Advanced PAP (A-PAP) pen.
Paper-based devices are now an innovative alternative to traditional techniques with expensive sensing equipment and special expertise, mainly targeted toward resource-limited settings.
Paper-based devices have very quickly become effective platforms for point-of-care diagnostics in the last couple of years: simple, cheap, disposable, and portable. Most fabrication methods, such as inkjet printing, wax printing, and laser treatment, are often limited by complex machinery or require heating and drying steps, thereby limiting their accessibility in less-developed settings.
Working under the guidance of Dr. Bhanu Prakash at INST, the researchers have invented a technique that is free from machinery or heating. With the A-PAP pen, they have successfully created 2D paper-based devices which detect heavy metals and nitrites. The method further includes biological sensing applications wherein they were able to demonstrate through the detection of dopamine using lateral flow devices in 2D.
The technique is further validated for producing complex three-dimensional (3D) paper-based devices using origami techniques for heavy metal detection. These devices might be created within seconds and are ready for immediate use, thus ideal for use in on-the-spot testing. This innovation provides an essential tool for quick and accessible chemical and biological testing.
The foremost advantage of this paper-based device is that it is simple and very cost-effective. In fact, the fabrication process takes only about 10 seconds and does not require heating. This makes it suitable for developing countries or remote areas where sophisticated laboratory equipment is poorly developed.
Thus, the A-PAP pen technique provides a cheap, easy method to detect and measure contaminants that exist in water as well as food. The possibility that this innovation opens up at a lesser cost brings sensing closer to the community or communities with resources that are very scarce.
