Fabrication of a simple 3D-printed microfluidic device with embedded electrochemiluminescence detection for rapid determination of sibutramine in dietary supplements

The design and fabrication of a simple 3D-printed platform with embedded electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection for sibutramine determination is described. The microfluidic platform was fabricated by the fused deposition 3D-printing technique with polylactic acid filament, facilitated by computer-aided design (CAD). A three-electrode system was integrated into the device using graphene carbon paste as a working electrode, Ag/AgCl wire as a reference, and a graphite rod as a counter electrode. A further modification was carried out by applying bimetallic Au-Pt nanoparticle-supported multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-Au-Pt) on the working electrode surface to enhance the electrocatalytic performance by exploiting the unique properties of nanomaterials. The analytical feasibility of the CAD-ECL sensor was tested through its application for the determination of sibutramine in dietary supplements. Under the optimized conditions, based on the enhancing effect of luminol emission, the device exhibited a linear calibration curve of the logarithmic sibutramine concentration versus ECL intensity in the range 5 x 10(-3) to 1 ng mL(-1). The limit of detection was 3 pg mL(-1) with a relative standard deviation of 1.7% (n = 15). The 3D-printed prototype can be successfully applied to a small-scale analysis in a simple and cost-effective approach.