A low-cost thin layer coulometric microfluidic device based on an ion-selective membrane for calcium determination

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Electrochemistry
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Accurate calcium detection is crucial for various applications, including water quality monitoring.
• Existing methods for calcium analysis can be expensive and require specialized laboratory equipment.
• There is a need for portable, cost-effective, and user-friendly analytical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a low-cost, easy-to-use thin layer coulometric microfluidic device for calcium detection.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating such a device using inexpensive materials and simple methods.
• To validate the device's performance for calcium quantification in mineral water.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a thin layer coulometric microfluidic device using inexpensive materials.
• Assembly of the device without sophisticated laboratory facilities.
• Electrochemical measurements using ion-selective membranes for calcium detection.
• Determination of the linear range and validation for mineral water analysis.

Main Results:

• A prototype microfluidic device for calcium detection was successfully fabricated and assembled.
• The device exhibited a linear detection range of 10-100 μM for calcium with a 60-second current integration time.
• Preliminary validation confirmed the device's suitability for quantifying calcium in mineral water.

Conclusions:

• A low-cost and accessible thin layer coulometric microfluidic device for calcium detection has been developed.
• The fabrication method is simple, enabling decentralized production without advanced facilities.
• The device shows potential for on-site, cost-effective calcium analysis, particularly in mineral water.