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New approach to a practical quartz crystal microbalance sensor utilizing an inkjet printing system
Yusuke Fuchiwaki1, Masato Tanaka2, Yoji Makita3
1Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2217-14, Hayashi-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395, Japan. yu-fuchiwaki@aist.go.jp.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 1, 2014
Summary
This study presents an inexpensive quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor developed using inkjet printing. The novel sensor offers reliable analyte determination with minimized noise, enabling commercial applications.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Conventional flow-mode systems for analyte determination can be expensive and complex.
- There is a need for cost-effective and easily deployable sensor technologies for reliable quantification of biological molecules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an inexpensive and commercially viable quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor unit.
- To demonstrate the efficacy of inkjet printing technology in QCM sensor fabrication.
- To validate the sensor's performance in detecting specific biomolecular interactions and quantifying analytes.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of QCM sensor units using inkjet printing equipment.
- Implementation of background noise removal techniques to enhance signal reliability.
- Testing the sensor for antigen-antibody interactions and C-reactive protein quantification.
Main Results:
- Successful construction of a QCM sensor unit via inkjet printing.
- Demonstrated minimization of fluctuations from external influences.
- Quantification of C-reactive protein (CRP) within a concentration range of 50-1000 ng∙mL-1, confirming assay sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- Inkjet printing provides a cost-effective and scalable method for QCM sensor production.
- The developed QCM sensor system is reliable for analyte determination, including antigen-antibody interactions.
- This technology presents a marketable solution for accessible biosensing applications.
