Romao VC, Martins SAM, Germano J, Cardoso FA, Cardoso S, Freitas PP. Lab-on-Chip Devices: Gaining Ground Losing Size.
ACS NANO 2017;
11:10659-10664. [PMID:
29077390 DOI:
10.1021/acsnano.7b06703]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Portable analytical devices are notably gaining relevance in the panorama of urgent testing. Such devices have the potential to play an important role as easy-to-handle tools in critical situations. Epidemic infectious disease agents (e.g., Ebola virus, Coronavirus, Zika virus) could be controlled more easily by testing travelers on-site at the country borders to prevent outbreaks from spreading. The increasing incidence of hospital-acquired infections caused by antibiotic resistant pathogens could be minimized by point-of-care microbial analysis as well as rapid screening tests of bacteria resistance. The threat of bioterrorism using novel unknown bioweapons has never been so high, thus, in-the-field early identification of the biological agent is crucial for triggering a coordinated response. Food allergies are a growing public health concern-allergic reactions can result in anaphylactic shock, which can prove fatal in minutes-thus, the ability to test foods for common allergens, rapidly and locally, before ingestion, would improve food safety for those with allergies. Lab-on-chip devices are becoming widely available for diverse applications and are becoming increasingly affordable. However, to shrink in price and size simultaneously, some trade-offs must be made. In this Perspective, we present considerations about product specifications, design concepts, and application scenarios.
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