Portable electrochemiluminescent detection system with 3D printed materials and mobile phone detection

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• 3D printing offers unique advantages for creating customized laboratory equipment.
• Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a sensitive detection method with applications in analytical chemistry.
• Portable and accessible analytical tools are in high demand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate 3D printed plastics as substrates for electrochemiluminescent sensors.
• To develop a portable, chip-based ECL detection method for amine-containing species.
• To integrate 3D printing for sensor fabrication and housing, enhancing portability.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of stencil-printed carbon-ink electrodes (SPCEs) on four different 3D printed plastics (three FDM, one SLA).
• Optimization of an ECL detection method using tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) and 2-(dibutylamino) ethanol (DBAE).
• Development of a portable housing using 3D printing for sensor alignment and light-tight measurements, powered by a USB supply and detected with a mobile phone.

Main Results:

• SPCEs were successfully fabricated on various 3D printed substrates.
• The optimized ECL method achieved similar limits of detection (3-4 μM) for DBAE across different substrates.
• The method demonstrated a detection limit of approximately 130 μM for the biogenic amine spermidine.
• Portability was confirmed using a mobile phone detector and USB power.

Conclusions:

• 3D printing is a viable technology for fabricating substrates and housings for ECL sensors.
• The developed method offers a portable and accessible platform for detecting amine-containing species.
• This approach holds promise for on-site and field-based analytical applications.