Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 20, 2025
11:33
Fabrication of Three-dimensional Paper-based Microfluidic Devices for Immunoassays
Published on: March 9, 2017
16.2K
Selection of appropriate protein assay method for a paper microfluidics platform
Pravin Pokhrel1,2, Shashank Jha1,2, Basant Giri2
1Department of Biotechnology, Kantipur Valley College, Kumaripati, Lalitpur, Nepal.
Practical Laboratory Medicine
|June 2, 2020
Summary
Paper-analytical devices (PADs) offer a low-cost method for protein estimation. Bromocresol green and tetrabromophenol blue assays are recommended for serum and urine, respectively, on PADs.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Point-of-Care Diagnostics
Background:
- Paper-analytical devices (PADs) are emerging as cost-effective tools for analyte detection.
- Existing colorimetric protein assays on PADs lack method justification and parameter optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively evaluate common colorimetric protein assays for PAD applications.
- To identify and recommend the most suitable assay for protein determination on a PAD platform.
Main Methods:
- Six colorimetric protein assays (biuret, Lowry, BCA, Bradford, BCG, TBPB) were performed on PADs.
- Assay signals were quantified via image analysis of the PADs.
- Analytical figures of merit, including precision, accuracy, LOD, and LOQ, were assessed.
Main Results:
- PADs protein assay precision ranged from 1.2-6.4%, accuracy from 73.3-102.4%.
- Bromocresol green (BCG) and tetrabromophenol blue (TBPB) assays were optimal for serum and urine, respectively.
- PADs demonstrated good correlation (r² > 0.6) with spectrophotometric methods.
Conclusions:
- Paper-based protein assays are user-friendly, requiring minimal sample/reagent volumes without a spectrophotometer.
- Assay performance is sample-dependent, indicating no single method is universally optimal for all sample types.
