Miniaturized platform for gaseous sensing using LED's and microfluidic paper analytical devices

Abstract

The aim of this project is the development of a portable and miniaturized platform to be applied in the in situ determination of a single or multi compounds in gaseous matrices. Gaseous samples will be collected using specific reagents and/or sorbents impregnated on solids into a reduced dimensions preconcentrator (i.e pipette-tip), eluted and then detected directly in a microfluidic paper analytical device (µPAD) or after previous separation in an electrophoretic lab-on-a-chip device. Optical detection (i.e absorbance or fluorescence) will be employed in the platform assembling by using dedicated LED's (UV-VIS range), fiber optics, photodiodes and electronics connected to a portable platform (i.e laptops, smartphones or tablets). The platform will be validated against the determination of H2S, NH3, NO2 and SO2.