Enhancing Protein Adsorption for Improved Lateral Flow Assay on Cellulose Paper by Depleting Inert Additive Films Using Reactive Plasma

Abstract

Paper-based platforms are ideal for on-site surveillance of infectious diseases in low-resource settings due to their simplicity, self-containment, and low cost. The two most popular materials used in paper-based platforms are nitrocellulose and cellulose. The nitrocellulose membrane has a high protein binding affinity, but its high price is an issue. Cellulose paper is inexpensive and allows intricate fluidic control for more sophisticated biochemical reactions, but it has a low protein binding affinity. By examining the microstructure of cellulose paper, we discover that cellulose fibers in the paper matrix are covered by thin films, which possibly result from the additives used in the paper-making process. Our finding suggests that the thin films are inert to protein adsorption. By selectively depleting the inert films with reactive plasma, we were able to enhance the protein adsorption to the cellulose paper and improve the performance of lateral flow assays. The performance of certain lateral flow assays on the plasma-treated cellulose paper is equivalent to or better than that on the nitrocellulose membrane. This leads us to believe that cellulose paper with a microstructure exclusively designed for protein binding, either by refined paper manufacturing process or by post-manufacture modification such as the plasma treatment presented herein, can potentially replace nitrocellulose as a less expensive paper substrate for point-of-care rapid test kits.

Ultrasensitive Ratiometric Fluorescence Bioassay for Accurate Detection of Covid-19-Specific Nucleocapsid Protein in Clinical Serum Samples Using Modified Cleavable Mesoporous SiO2 Satellite-Enriched Carbon Dots

“…Here, surface amination by using APTES as cross-linking agent, can enable covalently bonded antibodies with larger loading amounts and better immunoactivity stability. Thus, proteins can typically be immobilized with excellent stability and repeatability and the robust covalent bonds may favor minimal detection noise . Additionally, surface amination of SNCs can bring AuNPs closer to SNCs, which could ultimately improve signal output.…”

“…Thus, proteins can typically be immobilized with excellent stability and repeatability and the robust covalent bonds may favor minimal detection noise. 41 Additionally, surface amination of SNCs can bring AuNPs closer to SNCs, which could ultimately improve signal output. Preparation of Immunofluorescent Silica Nanovesicles and AuNPs.…”

Upconversion Nanoparticle-Based Dot-Blot Immunoassay for Quantitative Biomarker Detection

“…Procedures utilizing a membrane surface as the solid phase are usually classified as paper-based assays . The most common material for membrane fabrication is nitrocellulose; other less frequent options include nylon and polyvinylidene fluoride. , Compared with standard polystyrene MTPs, nitrocellulose membranes provide a highly porous 3D-structured surface with a high number of binding sites for the capture of biomolecules. − In addition, nitration of the cellulose results in a high binding affinity for proteins . Nitrocellulose membranes are widely used in western blot analysis as transfer membranes for protein visualization, , as the main component of point-of-care (PoC) rapid lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) test strips, and in dot-blot immunoassays.…”

“… 9 − 11 In addition, nitration of the cellulose results in a high binding affinity for proteins. 12 Nitrocellulose membranes are widely used in western blot analysis as transfer membranes for protein visualization, 10 , 11 as the main component of point-of-care (PoC) rapid lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) test strips, 9 and in dot-blot immunoassays.…”

Banking for Climate Risk Mitigation: An Investigation of the Role of Green Digital Finance

“…Furthermore, South Asian nations are highly susceptible to the consequences of climate change. According to Zhang, Khan, See, and Ying (2023), the presence of this vulnerability highlights the necessity of implementing efficient financial solutions in order to address and reduce climate risks. Moreover, the swift expansion of digital finance in these areas, propelled by technological progress and rising internet accessibility, offers a distinctive chance to examine its influence on sustainability (Pariharetal.,2022).…”