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Microfluidic Sensors

A topical collection in Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This collection belongs to the section "Physical Sensors".

Viewed by 17681

Editors

Prof. Dr. Sabina Merlo

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale e dell\'Informazione, Università degli Studi di Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: MEMS; MOEMS; optical sensors; interferometry; microphotonics; biophotonics; biosensors; lab on a chip
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Klaus Stefan Drese

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Institute of Sensor and Actuator Technology, Department of Applied Science, Coburg University, 96450 Coburg, Germany
Interests: acoustic sensors; optic sensors; simulation; microfluidics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of microfluidics is attracting an increasing amount of interest, both in the worlds of academia as well as industry. Indeed, a wide plethora of sensing methods in the fields of biology, nanomedicine, physics, chemistry, material science and nanotechnology have already been presented. Microfluidics is little by little reaching maturity and progressively showing its potential regarding enabling measurements that would otherwise not be feasible or viable. However, it still remains a challenging field due to its strong interdisciplinary nature; thus, in order to develop suitable solutions, a combination of knowledge from different fields, ranging from materials science to photonics and microelectronics, from fluidics to molecular biology, is required.

This Topical Collection aims to collect the latest research in the field of microfluidic sensors as essential elements for a variety of applications. Contributions may refresh the state-of-the-art technology, specify the benefits of emerging technologies, or investigate novel schemes and applications, topics of interest including, but not limited to:

  • Microfluidic sensor design, fabrication and characterization;
  • Medical, industrial, consumer and environmental applications of microfluidic sensors;
  • Lab applications for analytical chemistry, biochemistry and biology;
  • Microfluidic sensors for toxicological testing.

We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Prof. Dr. Sabina Merlo
Prof. Dr. Klaus Stefan Drese
Collection Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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2025

Jump to: 2024, 2022

13 pages, 4920 KiB  
Article
Multilayered Manufacturing Method for Microfluidic Systems Using Low-Cost, Resin-Based Three-Dimensional Printing
by Victor Edi Manqueros-Avilés, Hesner Coto-Fuentes, Karla Victoria Guevara-Amatón, Francisco Valdés-Perezgasga and Julian Alonso-Chamarro
Sensors 2025, 25(3), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25030694 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 2495
Abstract
This work presents a multilamination method for fabricating microfluidic devices or analytical microsystems using commercial 3D printers and photocurable resins as primary components. The developed method was validated by fabricating devices for the colorimetric measurement of copper ions in aqueous solutions, achieving results [...] Read more.
This work presents a multilamination method for fabricating microfluidic devices or analytical microsystems using commercial 3D printers and photocurable resins as primary components. The developed method was validated by fabricating devices for the colorimetric measurement of copper ions in aqueous solutions, achieving results comparable to traditional cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) systems. The microfluidic platforms demonstrated stability and functionality over a twelve-week testing period. Channels with minimum dimensions of 0.4 mm × 0.4 mm were fabricated, and the feasibility of using resin modules for optical applications was demonstrated. This study highlights the potential of combining 3D printing with multilamination procedures as a versatile alternative, offering flexibility through the selection of a variety of available resins and commercial printers, as well as the ease of design development. This method offers significant reductions in cost, time, and manufacturing complexity by eliminating the need for equipment such as CNC machines, presses, and ovens, which are typically required in other multilamination technologies like LTCC and COC. Full article
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2024

Jump to: 2025, 2022

9 pages, 2098 KiB  
Communication
Numerical Investigation of a Microfluidic Biosensor Based on I-Shaped Micropillar Array Electrodes
by Maliheh Azimi Roueini and Amal Kabalan
Sensors 2024, 24(24), 8049; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24248049 - 17 Dec 2024
Viewed by 653
Abstract
Micropillar array electrodes offer several advantages, such as enhanced mass transport, lower detection limits, and the potential for miniaturization, making them instrumental in the design and fabrication of electrochemical biosensors. The performance of these biosensors is influenced by electrode geometry, including parameters like [...] Read more.
Micropillar array electrodes offer several advantages, such as enhanced mass transport, lower detection limits, and the potential for miniaturization, making them instrumental in the design and fabrication of electrochemical biosensors. The performance of these biosensors is influenced by electrode geometry, including parameters like shape and height, which affect surface area and overall sensitivity. In this study, we designed a microfluidic electrochemical biosensor featuring micropillar array electrodes, modeled in COMSOL Multiphysics. We compared the response currents of I-shaped and cylindrical micropillar array electrodes. The working electrode (WE), consisting of 100 micropillars with a height of 300 µm, exhibited a sensitivity of 1.61 µA·cm2·mM−1 in cyclic voltammetry, highlighting its effectiveness for analyte detection. Full article
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19 pages, 4157 KiB  
Review
Artificial Intelligence-Based Microfluidic Platform for Detecting Contaminants in Water: A Review
by Yihao Zhang, Jiaxuan Li, Yu Zhou, Xu Zhang and Xianhua Liu
Sensors 2024, 24(13), 4350; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24134350 - 4 Jul 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3273
Abstract
Water pollution greatly impacts humans and ecosystems, so a series of policies have been enacted to control it. The first step in performing pollution control is to detect contaminants in the water. Various methods have been proposed for water quality testing, such as [...] Read more.
Water pollution greatly impacts humans and ecosystems, so a series of policies have been enacted to control it. The first step in performing pollution control is to detect contaminants in the water. Various methods have been proposed for water quality testing, such as spectroscopy, chromatography, and electrochemical techniques. However, traditional testing methods require the utilization of laboratory equipment, which is large and not suitable for real-time testing in the field. Microfluidic devices can overcome the limitations of traditional testing instruments and have become an efficient and convenient tool for water quality analysis. At the same time, artificial intelligence is an ideal means of recognizing, classifying, and predicting data obtained from microfluidic systems. Microfluidic devices based on artificial intelligence and machine learning are being developed with great significance for the next generation of water quality monitoring systems. This review begins with a brief introduction to the algorithms involved in artificial intelligence and the materials used in the fabrication and detection techniques of microfluidic platforms. Then, the latest research development of combining the two for pollutant detection in water bodies, including heavy metals, pesticides, micro- and nanoplastics, and microalgae, is mainly introduced. Finally, the challenges encountered and the future directions of detection methods based on industrial intelligence and microfluidic chips are discussed. Full article
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37 pages, 9960 KiB  
Review
On-Chip Photonic Detection Techniques for Non-Invasive In Situ Characterizations at the Microfluidic Scale
by Tamar Kurdadze, Fabrice Lamadie, Karen A. Nehme, Sébastien Teychené, Béatrice Biscans and Isaac Rodriguez-Ruiz
Sensors 2024, 24(5), 1529; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24051529 - 27 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3496
Abstract
Microfluidics has emerged as a robust technology for diverse applications, ranging from bio-medical diagnostics to chemical analysis. Among the different characterization techniques that can be used to analyze samples at the microfluidic scale, the coupling of photonic detection techniques and on-chip configurations is [...] Read more.
Microfluidics has emerged as a robust technology for diverse applications, ranging from bio-medical diagnostics to chemical analysis. Among the different characterization techniques that can be used to analyze samples at the microfluidic scale, the coupling of photonic detection techniques and on-chip configurations is particularly advantageous due to its non-invasive nature, which permits sensitive, real-time, high throughput, and rapid analyses, taking advantage of the microfluidic special environments and reduced sample volumes. Putting a special emphasis on integrated detection schemes, this review article explores the most relevant advances in the on-chip implementation of UV–vis, near-infrared, terahertz, and X-ray-based techniques for different characterizations, ranging from punctual spectroscopic or scattering-based measurements to different types of mapping/imaging. The principles of the techniques and their interest are discussed through their application to different systems. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2025, 2024

16 pages, 3009 KiB  
Article
Flow-Based Chemiluminescence Microarrays as Screening Platform for Affinity Binders to Capture and Elute Bacteria
by Julia Neumair, Martin Elsner and Michael Seidel
Sensors 2022, 22(22), 8606; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22228606 - 8 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2135
Abstract
Affinity describes the non-covalent but selective interaction between an affinity binder (e.g., proteins, antibiotics, or antibodies) and its counterpart (e.g., bacteria). These affinity binders can serve to detect bacteria and respond to the need for selective concentration via affinity chromatography for trace analysis. [...] Read more.
Affinity describes the non-covalent but selective interaction between an affinity binder (e.g., proteins, antibiotics, or antibodies) and its counterpart (e.g., bacteria). These affinity binders can serve to detect bacteria and respond to the need for selective concentration via affinity chromatography for trace analysis. By changing the pH value or salt and protein contents, affinity bindings can be reversed, and bacteria can be recovered for characterisation. Analytical microarrays use multiple affinity binders immobilised on the surface in a distinct pattern, which immensely reduces screening time for the discovery of superior binding motifs. Here, flow-based microarray systems can inform not only about binding, but also about desorption. In this work, we pioneer a screening assay for affinity binders against both gram-positive and negative bacteria based on an automated flow-based chemiluminescence (CL) microarray. Biotinylation of model organisms E. coli and E. faecalis enabled labelling with horseradish-peroxidase-coupled streptavidin, and detection with CL. Polymyxin B, an antibiotic against gram-negative bacteria, was found to bind both E. coli and E. faecalis. Simultaneous screening for desorption methods unexpectedly revealed methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside as a promising buffer for desorption from Polymyxin B. This proof-of-principle study shows that our new platform greatly facilitates the screening of new affinity binders against bacteria, with promise for future automation. Full article
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10 pages, 1529 KiB  
Article
Identification of Single Yeast Budding Using Impedance Cytometry with a Narrow Electrode Span
by Xun Liu, Tao Tang, Po-Wei Yi, Yapeng Yuan, Cheng Lei, Ming Li, Yo Tanaka, Yoichiroh Hosokawa and Yaxiaer Yalikun
Sensors 2022, 22(20), 7743; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22207743 - 12 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2361
Abstract
Impedance cytometry is wildly used in single-cell detection, and its sensitivity is essential for determining the status of single cells. In this work, we focus on the effect of electrode gap on detection sensitivity. Through comparing the electrode span of 1 µm and [...] Read more.
Impedance cytometry is wildly used in single-cell detection, and its sensitivity is essential for determining the status of single cells. In this work, we focus on the effect of electrode gap on detection sensitivity. Through comparing the electrode span of 1 µm and 5 µm, our work shows that narrowing the electrode span could greatly improve detection sensitivity. The mechanism underlying the sensitivity improvement was analyzed via numerical simulation. The small electrode gap (1 µm) allows the electric field to concentrate near the detection area, resulting in a high sensitivity for tiny particles. This finding is also verified with the mixture suspension of 1 µm and 3 µm polystyrene beads. As a result, the electrodes with 1 µm gap can detect more 1 µm beads in the suspension than electrodes with 5 µm gap. Additionally, for single yeast cells analysis, it is found that impedance cytometry with 1 µm electrodes gap can easily distinguish budding yeast cells, which cannot be realized by the impedance cytometry with 5 µm electrodes gap. All experimental results support that narrowing the electrode gap is necessary for tiny particle detection, which is an important step in the development of submicron and nanoscale impedance cytometry. Full article
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