Exploring the Feasibility of Paper-Based Substrates for User-Friendly Electrochemiluminescent Sensors

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) offers high sensitivity and low background for precise measurements.
• Paper-based platforms enhance portability, cost-efficiency, and ease of use for analytical methods.
• Integrating ECL with paper substrates presents an opportunity for novel analytical tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate office paper and filter paper as substrates for ECL sensing.
• To assess their electrochemical behavior, analytical performance, and reagent storage capabilities.
• To develop a simplified and stable ECL analytical method using dried reagents on paper.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of office paper and filter paper against polyester-based screen-printed electrodes.
• Electrochemical characterization of paper substrates.
• Assessment of sensitivity, stability, repeatability, and storage ability of dried reagents (tripropylamine and Ru(bpy)32+).

Main Results:

• Office paper demonstrated superior sensor performance due to lower porosity compared to highly porous filter paper.
• Filter paper led to signal loss and reduced analytical performance.
• Drying tripropylamine on paper eliminated manual reagent addition, simplifying procedures and enhancing storage stability.

Conclusions:

• Commercial office paper is a viable, sustainable, and cost-effective substrate for ECL sensing.
• Paper-based ECL platforms offer significant advantages for point-of-care diagnostics and environmental monitoring.
• This approach bridges the gap in measurement science by providing a convenient and stable analytical tool.