Detecting and quantifying pharmaceutical compounds in various environmental matrices is complex and challenging. This difficulty stems from the trace levels at which these compounds are found and the lack of analytical methods that are rapid, cost-effective, and portable. To address these challenges, this study aimed to develop microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μ-PADs) using beeswax screen printing for fabrication. Key parameters, including reaction time, concentration, reagent volume, and channel length, were optimized using response surface methodology. Under optimal conditions of 5 ppm sample concentration, 10 μL reagent volume, 10 min reaction time, and 2 cm channel length, the analytical performance of the μPAD was evaluated and compared with the standard UV–Vis spectrophotometry method. The microfluidic analytical device demonstrated detection limits at 0.03 μg/ml, compared to 0.01 μg/ml for the UV–Vis spectrophotometer. Although the sensitivity of µ-PADs in this study (0.03 μg/ml) is lower than that of UV–Vis (0.01 μg/ml), it represents an improvement over the previous µ-PAD report (1 μg/ml) on the same analytes. Both methods exhibited commendable precision, with a relative standard deviation below 2%. Additionally, recovery rates were acceptable and comparable, ranging from 86.8 to 99.6% for µ-PADs and 96.5–99% for UV–Vis. The analytical performance evaluation suggests that µPADs provide excellent sensitivity, precision, and accuracy for trace-level paracetamol analysis. A paired t-test further confirmed no statistically significant difference between the two methods, underscoring the promising potential of µ-PADs for trace-level paracetamol quantification in water samples without conventional analytical instruments.

检测和定量各种环境基质中的药物化合物既复杂又具有挑战性。这种困难源于发现这些化合物的痕量水平，以及缺乏快速、经济高效且便携的分析方法。为了应对这些挑战，本研究旨在开发使用蜂蜡丝网印刷制造的微流体纸基分析设备 （μ-PAD）。使用响应面方法优化关键参数，包括反应时间、浓度、试剂体积和通道长度。在 5 ppm 样品浓度、10 μL 试剂体积、10 min 反应时间和 2 cm 通道长度的最佳条件下，评估了 μPAD 的分析性能，并将其与标准紫外-可见分光光度法进行了比较。微流体分析装置的检测限为 0.03 μg/ml，而紫外-可见分光光度计的检测限为 0.01 μg/ml。尽管本研究中 μ-PAD 的灵敏度 （0.03 μg/mL） 低于紫外-可见光 （0.01 μg/mL），但与之前的 μ-PAD 报告 （1 μg/mL） 相比，对相同分析物的灵敏度有所提高。两种方法都表现出值得称赞的精确度，相对标准偏差低于 2%。此外，μPAD 的回收率是可接受且相当的，μ-PAD 的回收率范围为 86.8% 至 99.6%，UV-Vis 的回收率为 96.5%–99%。分析性能评估表明，μPAD 为痕量对乙酰氨基酚分析提供了出色的灵敏度、精密度和准确度。配对 t 检验进一步证实两种方法之间没有统计学意义差异，强调了 μ-PAD 在没有常规分析仪器的情况下对水样品进行痕量对乙酰氨基酚定量的潜力。