While chemistry experiments are conventionally performed within the laboratory setting where the necessary equipment and chemicals are easily accessible, this previously overlooked convenience disappeared in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This threat had a significant impact on undergraduate students, who rely on in-person laboratory experiences to gain a more hands-on look into chemistry and further clarify their career goals. Researchers in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory at The College of New Jersey adapted to this new reality by pivoting to work on analytical sensor development remotely. This transition was made possible through reimagining typical sensor design and shifting to the use of paper-based microfluidics, which allow for the safe storage of minute amounts of solid reagents, making at-home experimentation possible. Specifically, expensive platinum-based electrochemical sensors were exchanged for simple hand-drawn devices with wax barriers and graphite electrodes, with analysis performed using a portable potentiostat, or assays that allow for colorimetric detection. Despite this shift, the research goals remained the same: construct and optimize accurate and reproducible sensors. This approach utilized for sensor development can be extended for use in other chemical disciplines where at-home testing may have previously seemed implausible, allowing undergraduate researchers to work safely at home during the current pandemic restrictions or other future disruptions.

Bringing lab research into the home with paper-based analytical devices

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.