A disposable polymer waveguide lab-on-a-chip for real-time detection of protein c using evanescent wave

In this research, a disposable polymer waveguide lab on-a-chip fabricated by injection molding method has been developed and demonstrated for real-time detection of Protein C, which is one of the key anticoagulants in human body. For the performance of the sensor, the evanescent wave and sandwich immunoassay were utilized in this experiment. This polymer waveguide lab-on-a-chip overcomes the defects of glass optical fiber sensors; the vulnerability of the fiber itself, a long incubation time, and complicated pre-treatment process to bind the protein. Moreover, to increase detective signal of the polymer waveguide lab-on-a-chip, the concept of tapering fiber was applied. Finally, the developed lab-on-a-chip envisages a promising disposable point-of-care (POC) clinical diagnostic for numerous protein detections in low cost.