Enhanced 3D paper-based devices with a personal glucose meter for highly sensitive and portable biosensing of silver ion.

A variety of routine methods are available for the detection of silver (I) (Ag+) ions, but most of them rely on expensive, sophisticated and desktop instruments. Herein, a low-cost, instrument-free and portable Ag+ biosensor was described by initially designing a new class of 3D origami microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) into each of which one piece of reagent-loaded nanoporous membrane was integrated. It combines analyte-triggered self-growing of silver nanoparticles to block the membrane's pores in situ for rapid yet efficient signal amplification with a handheld personal glucose meter for a portable and sensitive quantitative readout based on the biocatalytic reactions between the glucose oxidase and glucose. Its utility is well demonstrated with the specific detection of the analyte with a limit of detection as low as ∼58.1 pM (3σ), which makes this new biosensing method one of the most sensitive Ag+ assays in comparison with many other typical methods recently reported. Moreover, the satisfactory recovery of analyzing several types of real water examples, i.e., tap water, drinking water, pond water and soil water, additionally validates its feasibility for practical applications. • A new type of 3D paper-based device is designed for biosensing of picomolar Ag+. • It integrates nanoporous membranes with self-growing for signal amplification. • It only requires a personal glucose meter for a portable, quantitative readout. • This instrument-free biosensor offers new opportunities for point-of-care uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]