A digital bar pH indicator based on a microfluidic paper-based analytical device

Abstract

A pH value of an aqueous medium is an essential parameter in the environment and biology. Nowadays, it is possible to measure using a colorimetric pH paper or an electrochemical pH meter. However, since the two methods have drawbacks of the limited precision in pH determination and the careful management of a glass membrane electrode, respectively, it still remains as a challenge to discover a user-friendly, reliable pH-measuring device. Herein, a novel digital bar pH indicator was developed using a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) to determine with the naked eye the pH value of an aqueous sample. The fabricated digital indicator consists of seven independent pH sensors displaying a color change from yellow to greenish blue above specific pH values. These sensing elements were vertically aligned to form a bar shape, and their color-changing pH points were regulated to increase upward from 4.5 to 7.5 with an interval of 0.5 units. For fast and simultaneous detection of the colorimetric sensors, sample addition to an inlet of the μPAD was quickly transported vertically along a hollow paper channel, horizontally divided, and arrived at the detection zones at similar times via delay channels. Through independent experiments, control of the color-changing pH point and flow rate were confirmed by addition of a surfactant additive into the pH indicator and inserting empty spaces in a flow channel, respectively. Reliable operation of the fabricated μPAD was verified using standard pH buffer samples. Finally, the feasibility of our digital bar pH indicator was successfully demonstrated for determining the pH value of a urine sample under the resolution of 0.5 units. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.