Microwave Microfluidic Sensor for Detection of High Equol Concentrations in Aqueous Solution

This paper presents a Peano fractal geometry complementary split ring resonator (PFCSRR) loaded microstrip transmission line with a microfluidic channel for equol (EQ) sensing in a high and wide range of concentrations in aqueous solution. The proposed sensor was designed based on a CSRR loaded microstrip line with a Peano fractal in the center of a CSRR and validated through simulation and experiment. The microfluidic channel was fabricated using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and installed to cover the sensing area. The free space, empty microfluidic channels, deionized (DI) water, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and various concentrations of EQ were measured by a microwave sensor through sample-filled microfluidic channels. Detection of high levels of EQ was in the concentration range of 0.01 mM – 100 mM. The materials under test (MUTs) were measured in the frequency range of 1.0 GHz–3.5 GHz based on the magnitude of the transmission coefficient (S
₂₁
) and resonance frequency (F
_r
) at room temperature. The S
₂₁
and F
_r
were recorded and analyzed by logarithmic concentrations of EQ for the determinant of the correlations between EQ concentration and S
₂₁
and F
_r
. Principal component analysis (PCA) and K–means clustering were used to analyze and classify groups of MUTs.