Development of microfluidic paper based analytical device for detection of phosphate in water

Abstract

In this paper, the researchers have developed a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μ-PAD). In order to quantify the precise concentration of phosphate in water, ImageJ tool has been used. The ImageJ is used to calibrate the color range and intensity for phosphate concentration detection. For creating a hydrophobic barrier on filter paper poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and rubber stamp with desired pattern of μ-PAD was used. The microfluidic device developed is a low cost solution which is simple to use in rural and urban areas for detection of contaminants in water. The excess amount of phosphate in water causes eutrophication which is harmful for aquatic animals likes fishes. The microfluidic based platform is developed and experiments are performed for detecting the concentration of phosphate ranging from 1 mg to 20 mg/ml. For the spot test, the user just needs to drops 1 ml of water and the results are obtained instantly.