Low Cost Paper Based Electrochemical Sensing System

We present the development of a graphite-based sensor interfaced with a custom potentiostat circuit for electrochemical detection. Paper-based electrodes offer significant cost advantage compared to electrodes fabricated using standard clean room microfabrication techniques. The three-electrode system used in this paper does not use inks or pastes, and can be prepared easily by writing on chromatography paper with store-bought pencils. The electrode fabrication procedure is simple and uses widely available materials making them easy and usable for fabrication and use in remote areas and underdeveloped countries. The potentiostat is implemented using discrete electronics for the control amplifier and two versions of the transimpedance amplifier are presented. The system is characterized using cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. Along with a custom potentiostat, the system eliminates the need for benchtop devices and makes a system that is usable in remote and low resource locations.