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Updated: Sep 8, 2025
Open-Source Miniature Fluorimeter to Monitor Real-Time Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification Reactions in Resource-Limited Settings
Published on: February 3, 2021
A carbon-black-embedded poly(dimethylsiloxane)-paper hybrid device for energy-efficient nucleic-acid amplification in
Ye Lin Kim1, Donghyeok Kim2, Jihoon Park3
1Industry 4.0 Convergence Bionics Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea. jhshin@pknu.ac.kr.
Abstract:
A paper-based device patterned with a carbon-black-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) mixture is developed as a heating platform for nucleic-acid amplification tests. The photothermal effect of carbon black under 808 nm laser irradiation is used to conduct loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, a foodborne pathogen. We characterize the heat generation of carbon black by changing its concentration and the hardness of PDMS. Then, we optimize the minimum laser power required to perform LAMP. The proposed paper-based device requires less than 15 min to perform LAMP, and the result can be confirmed based on the color change observed by the naked eye. The rfbE gene of E. coli O157:H7 is specifically amplified, with a detection limit of 102 CFU mL-1. Amplification is also performed by using a laboratory-made laser-diode device, which consumes only 2 W h during its operation. The low cost, disposability, and easy fabrication of the paper-based device make it a powerful tool for point-of-care testing.
