An enrichment system for glycoproteins using microfluidic paper-based analytical device with colorimetric detection

We introduce a facile method for glycoprotein enrichment, separation, and detection using microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs). The μPADs comprise two distinct components: the enrichment region (Chip I) and the detection section (Chip II). The reusable Chip I is fabricated by immobilizing 3-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA) onto a circular paper substrate, demonstrating exceptional glycoprotein affinity. In disposable Chip II, glycoproteins react with periodic acid, generating carbonyl compounds that produce a purple-colored product upon reacting with the Schiff reagent. Alterations in color intensity are captured using an ordinary cell phone and are subsequently analyzed using Photoshop software. Observations note a linear increase in average color intensities from 1.0 × 10−3 to 5.0 × 10−3 mol/L, with an R2 value of 0.9927. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of inter-day (n = 5) and intra-day (n = 5) assessments stand at 1.5 % and 1.4 %, respectively. Our proposed approach can effectively enrich an ovalbumin (OVA) solution with concentrations as low as 1.0 × 10−11 mol/L, resulting in enrichment rates of 107 to 108 times. The interference deviations of five substances relative to OVA lie within the range of − 2.0 % to + 2.0 %. The methodology successfully enriches glycoproteins from egg white samples diluted by a factor of 1 × 106, demonstrating that the proposed method is remarkably suitable for enriching glycoproteins from authentic samples.