Paper-Based Fluidic Sensing Platforms for β-Adrenergic Agonist Residue Point-of-Care Testing

The illegal use of beta-adrenergic agonists during livestock growth poses a threat to public health; the long-term intake of this medication can cause serious physiological side effects and even death. Therefore, rapid detection methods for beta-adrenergic agonist residues on-site are required. Traditional detection methods such as liquid chromatography have limitations in terms of expensive instruments and complex operations. In contrast, paper methods are low cost, ubiquitous, and portable, which has led to them becoming the preferred detection method in recent years. Various paper-based fluidic devices have been developed to detect beta-adrenergic agonist residues, including lateral flow immunoassays (LFAs) and microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (mu PADs). In this review, the application of LFAs for the detection of beta-agonists is summarized comprehensively, focusing on the latest advances in novel labeling and detection strategies. The use of mu PADs as an analytical platform has attracted interest over the past decade due to their unique advantages and application for detecting beta-adrenergic agonists, which are introduced here. Vertical flow immunoassays are also discussed for their shorter assay time and stronger multiplexing capabilities compared with LFAs. Furthermore, the development direction and prospects for the commercialization of paper-based devices are considered, shedding light on the development of point-of-care testing devices for beta-adrenergic agonist residue detection.