Subject(s)
Flow Cytometry , Malaria/diagnosis , Photoacoustic Techniques , Skin/pathology , Tropical Medicine , Flow Cytometry/instrumentation , Flow Cytometry/methods , Humans , Inventions/standards , Inventions/trends , Lab-On-A-Chip Devices/standards , Lab-On-A-Chip Devices/trends , Malaria/pathology , Medical Futility , Parasitemia/diagnosis , Parasitemia/pathology , Photoacoustic Techniques/instrumentation , Photoacoustic Techniques/methods , Skin/chemistry , Skin/parasitology , Tropical Medicine/methods , Tropical Medicine/standards , Tropical Medicine/trendsABSTRACT
The interest in low-cost microfluidic platforms as well as emerging microfabrication techniques has increased considerably over the last years. Toner- and paper-based techniques have appeared as two of the most promising platforms for the production of disposable devices for on-chip applications. This review focuses on recent advances in the fabrication techniques and in the analytical/bioanalytical applications of toner and paper-based devices. The discussion is divided in two parts dealing with (i) toner and (ii) paper devices. Examples of miniaturized devices fabricated by using direct-printing or toner transfer masking in polyester-toner, glass, PDMS as well as conductive platforms as recordable compact disks and printed circuit board are presented. The construction and the use of paper-based devices for off-site diagnosis and bioassays are also described to cover this emerging platform for low-cost diagnostics.