Manufacturing 3d-Printed Paper Microfluidics Integrated With Ionization Mass-Spectrometry for Illicit Drugs Analysis and On-Chip Chromatography

This paper presents paper-based microfluidic devices fabricated by stereolithography 3D, enabling spray ionizations and chromatography mass-spectrometry analysis of illicit drugs. The fabrication techniques provide a rapid printing process (<1s) and precise control of channel structure that can be performed in a highly reproduced manner. The significant improvements in analytical performance on mass-spectrometry using this device are described such as the extended signal lifetime until 50 minutes and high stability of MS1 signal can be achieved with CV<15%. A reliable signal of Methamphetamine via tandem mass-spectrometry can be produced with the Limit of Detection (LOD) of methamphetamine can be as low as 0.5 ppb using plasma as a matrix. Finally, the chromatography method was established by using two solvents during the spray which can separate two different drugs Methamphetamine and Morphine-G during the acquisitions. This 3D printed paper spray further simplifies the ionization methods and significantly enhanced the performance of the paper spray which allowed continuous spray with high intensity and reliable signal including chromatography of drugs mixture.