Title: “A Paper-Based Electrochemical Device for Salivary Analysis in Low-Resource Settings”

Committee:
Research Advisor/Chair: Muhammad Zaman
Catherine Klapperich
Mark Grinstaff
Catherine Grgicak
Gerald Keusch

Abstract:
Diagnosis and detection is one of the most effective means of controlling matters that adversely affect public health and safety. Yet, in the developing world, most gold standard diagnostics remain widely inaccessible due to cost and lack of infrastructure. One strategy to increase access to health and safety devices has been through the development of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics that are low-cost, portable, and easy-to-use for on-site analysis. In particular, paper has recently been in the spotlight as such a POC platform. Compared to conventional POC tests made of glass or plastic substrates, paper itself is even more thin, light-weight, portable, disposable, and can store biological and chemical molecules for analytical measurement within its fibrous network. Several paper-based tests, dubbed µPADs for “micro-Paper Analytical Devices”, have demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity detection of proteins, bacteria, and metals for applications in disease diagnosis, health monitoring, and food and water safety.

To expand the capability and robustness of µPADs, we propose to develop a reliable and quantitative paper-based biosensor for salivary analysis. Additionally, a quantitative analysis will be performed to study and improve the long-term viability of paper devices. Saliva is an ideal sample for POC testing as it is easy to collect and less expensive than blood collection. The model analyte to be measured in saliva will be ethanol, the consumable form of alcohol, which can be detected electrochemically. This was chosen because inexpensive and reliable methods to measure alcohol concentration are not readily available in resource-limited areas. A speedy, easy-to-use, and low-cost method to screen subjects can be useful in emergency hospital settings, as well as road safety campaigns.