Commercial Adhesive Leads to New Paper-Based Lab

Oct-06-12 A new, paper-based diagnostic platform uses an inexpensive industrial solvent to capture molecules for testing, replacing the more expensive nitrocellulose.

Developed by a team from the University of Washington, the new platform takes advantage of divinyl sulfone, which has been used as an adhesive for decades. The chemical can be diluted in water and then embedded into paper, which dries smooth to the touch but can capture many different times of chemicals.

As a test, the team ran the treated paper through an inkjet printer with ink cartridges that had been filled with biomolecules called galactose, which attaches to human cells. When exposed to a poison that sticks to galactose, a pattern emerged that indicated the presence of the poison.

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[MEDGADGET.COM]
[UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON]

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