Microwave bio-sensor based on symmetrical split ring resonator with spurline filters for therapeutic goods detection

Label-Free Physical Techniques and Methodologies for Proteins Detection in Microfluidic Biosensor Structures

Proteins in biological fluids (blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid) are important biomarkers of various pathological conditions. Protein biomarkers detection and quantification have been proven to be an indispensable diagnostic tool in clinical practice. There is a growing tendency towards using portable diagnostic biosensor devices for point-of-care (POC) analysis based on microfluidic technology as an alternative to conventional laboratory protein assays. In contrast to universally accepted analytical methods involving protein labeling, label-free approaches often allow the development of biosensors with minimal requirements for sample preparation by omitting expensive labelling reagents. The aim of the present work is to review the variety of physical label-free techniques of protein detection and characterization which are suitable for application in micro-fluidic structures and analyze the technological and material aspects of label-free biosensors that implement these methods. The most widely used optical and impedance spectroscopy techniques: absorption, fluorescence, surface plasmon resonance, Raman scattering, and interferometry, as well as new trends in photonics are reviewed. The challenges of materials selection, surfaces tailoring in microfluidic structures, and enhancement of the sensitivity and miniaturization of biosensor systems are discussed. The review provides an overview for current advances and future trends in microfluidics integrated technologies for label-free protein biomarkers detection and discusses existing challenges and a way towards novel solutions.

Real Time Microwave Biochemical Sensor Based on Circular SIW Approach for Aqueous Dielectric Detection

In this study, a critical evaluation of analyte dielectric properties in a microvolume was undertaken, using a microwave biochemical sensor based on a circular substrate integrated waveguide (CSIW) topology. These dielectric properties were numerically investigated based on the resonant perturbation method, as this method provides the best sensing performance as a real-time biochemical detector. To validate these findings, shifts of the resonant frequency in the presence of aqueous solvents were compared with an ideal permittivity. The sensor prototype required a 2.5 µL volume of the liquid sample each time, which still offered an overall accuracy of better than 99.06%, with an average error measurement of ±0.44%, compared with the commercial and ideal permittivity values. The unloaded Q_u factor of the circular substrate-integrated waveguide (CSIW) sensor achieved more than 400 to ensure a precise measurement. At 4.4 GHz, a good agreement was observed between simulated and measured results within a broad frequency range, from 1 to 6 GHz. The proposed sensor, therefore, offers high sensitivity detection, a simple structural design, a fast-sensing response, and cost-effectiveness. The proposed sensor in this study will facilitate real improvements in any material characterization applications such as pharmaceutical, bio-sensing, and food processing applications.