Paper-based analytical devices for point-of-need applications

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Paper-based analytical devices (PADs) are cost-effective, portable platforms for point-of-need testing.
• They are crucial for rapid, reliable, and simple analyses in environmental, health, and food safety monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a chronological overview of PAD development.
• To discuss fundamental parameters for engineering new PADs.
• To review detection techniques and recent advances in PADs.

Main Methods:

• Review of chronological events and fundamental engineering parameters for PADs.
• Analysis of common detection techniques: colorimetry, fluorescence, and electrochemistry.
• Exploration of combined optical/electrochemical detection and distance-based detection.

Main Results:

• PADs offer portability and integration with portable readout systems.
• Combined detection systems enhance sensitivity and selectivity for simultaneous determinations.
• Distance-based detection enables instrument-free, user-error-free analyses, ideal for resource-limited settings.

Conclusions:

• PADs are versatile platforms with significant potential for point-of-need diagnostics.
• Combined and distance-based detection represent key trends, overcoming individual technique limitations.
• Further research and critical evaluation of practical specifications are needed for innovation.