Abstract
In this paper, we describe a low-cost microwave microfluidic system of ultrahigh sensitivity for detecting small changes in the concentration of polar solutions (liquid dielectrics) in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. Its principle of operation is based on microwave interferometry, which is implemented using planar microstrip lines and integrated microwave components. The key features of this system include small solution intake (<200 µL per measurement), short time of measurement (ca. 20 ms), ultrahigh sensitivity of concentration changes (up to 55 dB/%), and low error of measurement (below 0.1%). The ultrahigh sensitivity was proven experimentally by measurements of the fat content of milk. In addition, it is a user-friendly system due to an effortless and fast calibration procedure. Moreover, it can be made relatively compact (<20 cm2) and features low power consumption (200 mW). Thus, the proposed system is perfect for industrial applications, especially for highly integrated lab-on-chip devices.
Highlights
The need for precise, cost-efficient and real-time monitoring of minimal changes of many substances is crucial for many industries and life sciences, such as food fraud detection [1], automated drug discovery [2], organ-on-a-chip engineering [3], and dangerous liquid measurements [4]. It is essential for advanced RADAR and communication technology solutions that use liquid dielectrics [5,6,7]
There are many methods designed to monitor the composition of liquid solutions. It seems that fluorescence spectroscopy methods are the most widely held, mainly in biomedical applications [8]
Measurement methods based on planar transmission lines [23] could be good candidates for industrial applications, but they suffer from low sensitivity and accuracy
Summary
The need for precise, cost-efficient and real-time monitoring of minimal changes of many substances is crucial for many industries and life sciences, such as food fraud detection [1], automated drug discovery [2], organ-on-a-chip engineering [3], and dangerous liquid measurements [4] It is essential for advanced RADAR and communication technology solutions that use liquid dielectrics [5,6,7]. It seems that fluorescence spectroscopy methods are the most widely held, mainly in biomedical applications [8] Those methods possess several substantial disadvantages in industrial applications, such as the need for special preparation of samples or the use of transparent media and photon detectors with limited spectral absorption. Their scope of application is expanding, as described extensively in [4]
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