Microfluidic synthesis of radiotracers: recent developments and commercialization prospects

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful diagnostic tool that holds incredible potential for clinicians to track a wide variety of biological processes using specialized radiotracers. Currently, however, a single radiotracer accounts for over 95% of procedures, largely due to the cost of radiotracer synthesis. Microfluidic platforms provide a solution to this problem by enabling a dose-on-demand pipeline in which a single benchtop platform would synthesize a wide array of radiotracers. In this review, we will explore the field of microfluidic production of radiotracers from early research to current development. Furthermore, the benefits and drawbacks of different microfluidic reactor designs will be analyzed. Lastly, we will discuss the various engineering considerations that must be addressed to create a fully developed, commercially effective platform that can usher the field from research and development to commercialization.

A novel and portable electrochemical sensor for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural detection using silver microdendrite electrodeposited paper-based electrode

A lab-made screen-printed carbon electrode was fabricated on poster paper and modified with silver microdendrites for the determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in honey.

Microfluidic-Based Electrochemical Immunosensing of Ferritin

Ferritin is a clinically important biomarker which reflects the state of iron in the body and is directly involved with anemia. Current methods available for ferritin estimation are generally not portable or they do not provide a fast response. To combat these issues, an attempt was made for lab-on-a-chip-based electrochemical detection of ferritin, developed with an integrated electrochemically active screen-printed electrode (SPE), combining nanotechnology, microfluidics, and electrochemistry. The SPE surface was modified with amine-functionalized graphene oxide to facilitate the binding of ferritin antibodies on the electrode surface. The functionalized SPE was embedded in the microfluidic flow cell with a simple magnetic clamping mechanism to allow continuous electrochemical detection of ferritin. Ferritin detection was accomplished via cyclic voltammetry with a dynamic linear range from 7.81 to 500 ng·mL⁻¹ and an LOD of 0.413 ng·mL⁻¹. The sensor performance was verified with spiked human serum samples. Furthermore, the sensor was validated by comparing its response with the response of the conventional ELISA method. The current method of microfluidic flow cell-based electrochemical ferritin detection demonstrated promising sensitivity and selectivity. This confirmed the plausibility of using the reported technique in point-of-care testing applications at a much faster rate than conventional techniques.