Microprocessing of liquid plugs for bio/chemical analyses

Anal Chem. 2008 Aug 15;80(16):6206-13. doi: 10.1021/ac800492v. Epub 2008 Jul 16.

Abstract

A microfluidic device and operation to handle liquid plugs for biochemical analyses were developed for efficient handling of plugs of many solutions. A major part of the device was a T-junction consisting of a main flow channel and a handling flow channel. Unit operations including attachment of plugs, division of a plug, sorting of plugs, and formation of plugs of various lengths enabled controlled sequential reactions in a microflow channel. Rapid mixing could easily be achieved by moving a plug formed by merging two plugs back and forth. The device could be used for efficient characterization of performance in bio/chemical sensing. In experiments using L-glutamate oxidase, plugs containing an enzyme or a substrate were formed, mixed sequentially, and the intensity of fluorescence from plugs of different concentrations of L-glutamate or pHs could be measured simultaneously. Cross-contamination of plugs by neighboring plugs poses a problem in using the same flow channel repeatedly. However, the influence could be minimized by using a cleansing plug placed between them in a sufficiently hydrophobic flow channel and by processing the plugs at a low velocity. The device can be a critical component for microprocessing in various bio/chemical analyses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Glutamic Acid / chemistry*
  • Horseradish Peroxidase / chemistry*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Microfluidics / instrumentation
  • Microfluidics / methods*
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry*
  • Streptomyces / enzymology

Substances

  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Horseradish Peroxidase
  • Amino Acid Oxidoreductases
  • L-glutamate oxidase