Integrated and turnkey custom-built multiplexed portable platform for on-site electrochemical detection

Abstract

A compact and cost-effective device is essential to bring multiplexed biosensing from lab to the point-of-care. Electrochemical sensing has emerged as a powerful choice for developing such lab-on-chip (LOC) platforms, offering good sensitivity, scalability, and compatibility. A potentiostat is a fundamental instrument widely employed in electrochemical sensors for clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, immunosensors, toxicity testing, and so on. However, conventional electrochemical workstations are often bulky and expensive, limiting their feasibility for portable, cost-effective biosensing, particularly for multiplexed detection at the point of care. Hence, it is ill-suited for the integration with lab-on-chip systems. This paper presents a low-cost, portable potentiostat with multiplexed electrochemical biosensing capability and Wi-Fi connectivity designated as μBIOPOT. This operates within a potential window of ±1 V and a current range of ±1 mA, supporting various voltammetric techniques, including Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV), Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV), Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV), and Normal Pulse Voltammetry (NPV). Its multiplexed capability enables real-time detection of multiple analytes, addressing key challenges in rapid and comprehensive biosensing. Validation of performance is done using the redox probe ferri/ferrocyanide, with results demonstrating close alignment with those obtained with a commercially available conventional potentiostat. Additionally, the device is tested for its ability to detect two key lipid biomarkers—cholesterol and triglycerides, demonstrating its ability for multiplexed detection. User-friendly interfaces provide real-time characteristic plots for research and simplified options for non-experts to determine biomarker concentrations. With Wi-Fi connectivity, low power consumption, and affordability at just $36, μBIOPOT represents a scalable, accessible, and efficient solution for the development of multiplexed electrochemical biosensors in both clinical and resource-limited settings.