Cost Effective Paper-Based Colorimetric Microfluidic Devices and Mobile Phone Camera Readers for the Classroom

We have developed a simple and direct method to fabricate paper-based microfluidic devices that can be used for a wide range of colorimetric assay applications. With these devices, assays can be performed within minutes to allow for quantitative colorimetric analysis by use of a widely accessible iPhone camera and an RGB color reader application (app) to measure color intensity. In the described laboratory experiment, students design and create their own microfluidic devices with common laboratory supplies such as Kimwipes, Parafilm, and a thermal laminator, and gain hands-on experience in the analysis of Fe 2+ and Cu 2+ by colorimetric determination.