Biomimetic Microanalytical System for On-Demand Analyte Detection

The fast and accurate detection of low analyte concentrations is especially crucial for the medical and pharmaceutical fields. Conventional microanalytical systems suffer from mass transport limitations as the analyte diffuses three-dimensionally in the sample solution leading to a slow detection time. Here, we explore an autonomous and direct analyte transport approach to the detector site for rapid and accurate detection. The capture mechanism of the carnivorous plant, drosera capensis, inspired the platform geometry and actuation of the pH-responsive hydrogel fibers, which are created via electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet writing. The direct transport of fluorescently-labeled spheres used as analytes enables the detection of increased fluorescence intensity at the detector site. Moreover, we demonstrate the platform's selectivity of binding spheres over non-binding ones. This biomimetic work provides a promising platform as a fast and real-time quantification method.