Development of a microfluidic device for the dual detection and quantification of ammonia and urea from the blood serum

Abstract

The concoction of microfluidics and IoT to realize Point-of-Care (PoC) diagnostic devices have become of great interest in the present world. Urea is the biomarker for diseases such as pre-eclampsia, hepatic encephalopathy, chronic renal failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, different types of cancers, various kinds of viral infections, etc. Ammonia is associated with parkinsonism, muscle wasting, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, etc. Hence their detection is beneficial in the healthcare sector. Herein, an IoT-enabled microfluidic-based colorimetric device has been developed to detect and quantify both ammonia and urea in blood serum. The entire device casing was 3D printed, and the microfluidic chip was fabricated using poly (dimethylsiloxane) and glass. Incorporation of Node MCU as the microcontroller provided the device with enhanced capabilities for data recording and transmission, even in remote areas. The device was capable of detecting ammonia and urea in a wide range. The ammonia was detected in the range of 0.5–10 mg L-1 with a limit of detection (LoD) of 0.1879 mg L-1, while the urea was detected in the 100–500 mg L-1 range with a LoD of 21.4091 mg L-1. The developed device was 3D printed, portable, miniaturized, IOT enabled, and cost-efficient, with a power consumption of a mere 5 V, thus opening new avenues in sustainable point-of-care diagnostics. Moreover, the device was added with offline and online data visualization capabilities, thus increasing its user-friendliness.