An automated electrokinetic continuous sample introduction system for microfluidic chip-based capillary electrophoresis

An automated and continuous sample introduction system for microfluidic chip-based capillary electrophoresis (CE) was developed in this work. An efficient world-to-chip interface for chip-based CE separation was produced by horizontally connecting a Z-shaped fused silica capillary sampling probe to the sample loading channel of a crossed-channel chip. The sample presentation system was composed of an array of bottom-slotted sample vials filled alternately with samples and working electrolyte, horizontally positioned on a programmable linearly moving platform. On moving the array from one vial to the next, and scanning the probe, which was fixed with a platinum electrode on its tip, through the slots of the vials, a series of samples, each followed by a flow of working electrolyte was continuously introduced electrokinetically from the off-chip vials into the sample loading channel of the chip. The performance of the system was demonstrated in the separation and determination of FITC-labeled arginine and phenylalanine with LIF detection, by continuously introducing a train of different samples. Employing 4.5 kV sampling voltage (1000 V cm(-1) field strength) for 30 s and 1.8 kV separation voltage (400 V cm(-1) field strength) for 70 s, throughputs of 36 h(-1) were achieved with <1.0% carryover and 4.6, 3.2 and 4.0% RSD for arginine, FITC and phenylalanine, respectively (n = 11). Net sample consumption was only 240 nL for each sample.     

Automated sampling system for the analysis of amino acids using microfluidic capillary electrophoresis

An improved automated continuous sample introduction system for microfluidic capillary electrophoresis (CE) is described. A sample plate was designed into gear-shaped and was fixed onto the shaft of a step motor. Twenty slotted reservoirs for containing samples and working electrolytes were fabricated on the “gear tooth” of the plate. A single 7.5-cm long Teflon AF-coated silica capillary serves as separation channel, sampling probe, as well as liquid-core waveguide (LCW) for light transmission. Platinum layer deposited on the capillary tip serves as the electrode. Automated continuous sample introduction was achieved by scanning the capillary tip through the slots of reservoirs. The sample was introduced into capillary and separated immediately in the capillary with only about 2-nL gross sample consumption. The laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) method with LCW technique was used for detecting fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled amino acids. With electric-field strength of 320 V/cm for injection and separation, and 1.0-s sample injection time, a mixture of FITC-labeled arginine and leucine was separated with a throughput of 60/h and a carryover of 2.7%.     

Automated high‐speed CE system for multiple samples

A high‐speed CE system for multiple samples was developed based on a short capillary and an automated sample introduction device consisting of a commercial multi‐well plate and an x‐y‐z translation stage. The spontaneous injection method was used to achieve picoliter‐scale sample injection from different sample wells. Under the optimized conditions, a 40 μm‐long sample plug (corresponding to 78‐pL plug volume) was obtained in a 50 μm id capillary, which ensured both the high separation speed and high separation efficiency. The performance of the system was demonstrated in the separation of FITC‐labeled amino acids with LIF detection. Five FITC‐labeled amino acids including arginine, phenylalanine, glycine, glutamic acid, and asparagine were separated within 15 s with an effective separation length of 1.5 cm. The separation efficiency ranged from 7.96 × 10⁵/m to 1.12 × 10⁶ /m (corresponding to 1.26–0.89 μm plate heights). The repeatability of the peak heights calibrated with an inner standard for different sample wells was 2.4 and 2.7% (n = 20) for arginine and phenylalanine, respectively. The present system was also applied in consecutive separations of 20 different samples of FITC‐labeled amino acids with a whole separation time of less than 6 min.     

Sequential injection sample introduction microfluidic-chip based capillary electrophoresis system

A sequential injection micro-sample introduction system was coupled to a microfluidic-chip based capillary electrophoresis system through a split–flow sampling interface integrated on the micro-chip. The microfluidic system measured 20×70×3 mm in dimension, and was produced using a non-lithographic approach with components readily available in the analytical laboratory. In the H-configuration channel design the horizontal separation channel was a 75 μm I.D.×60 mm quartz capillary, with two vertical side arms produced from plastic tubing. The conduits were embedded in silicon elastomer with a planar glass base. Sequential introduction of a series of samples with about 2.5% carryover was achieved at 48 h⁻¹ throughput with samples containing a mixture of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled amino acids using SI sample volumes of 3.3 μl and carrier flow-rate of 2.0 ml min⁻¹. Baseline separation was achieved for FITC-labeled arginine, phenylalanine, glycine and FITC (laser induced fluorescence detection) in sodium tetraborate buffer (pH 9.2) within 8–80 s, at separation lengths of 25–35 mm and electrical field strengths of 250–1500 V cm⁻¹, with plate heights in the 0.7–3 μm range.     

电泳芯片的制作及其进样与分离

利用微细加工技术研究在玻璃上制作电泳芯片的方法,测试了微管道的伏安特性曲线。在该电泳芯片上进行了注样和分离实验,采用激光诱导荧光法进行检测,利用CCD拍摄了进样和分离的全过程。分析了电泳芯片上施加不同的电压对样品注样的影响,给出了FITC－OH和FITC－Arg分离谱图。     

微流控芯片单细胞进样和溶膜

单细胞分析对重大疾病的早期诊断、治疗和药物筛选以及细胞生理、病理过程的研究有重要意义.将毛细管电泳用于单细胞多组分的测定已取得一些成果,但受毛细管的一维结构限制,单细胞进样和溶膜操作较复杂.微流控分析芯片的网络结构和微米级的通道尺寸使简化单细胞分析成为可能.     

Development of a low-cost microfluidic capillary-electrophoresis system coupled with flow-injection and sequential-injection sample introduction (review)

Microfabrication techniques used for the production of MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems) have been successfully used to produce highly efficient microfluidic capillary electrophoresis chip systems. A limitation of this approach are the difficulties associated with the creation of the micrometer-sized structures in glass or other substrates, which currently involve specialized and expensive lithographic and etching processes. A further limitation is that hitherto most microfluidic chips are not designed for continuous introduction of a series of different samples, which limits the overall throughput of such systems. This article reviews the development of a microfluidic system for rapid CE separations, produced at a low cost of less than a dollar each, using equipment and materials readily available in the ordinary laboratory. Applications of the system, after coupling to flow-injection and/or sequential-injection sample introduction, for the determination of FITC-labeled amino acids by laser-induced fluorescence, trace metals by chemiluminescence, carbohydrates by amperometry, and inorganic and organic anions by indirect UV absorbance are exemplified to illustrate the performance and versatility of the microfluidic system.     

Hydrodynamic injection with pneumatic valving for microchip electrophoresis with total analyte utilization

A novel hydrodynamic injector that is directly controlled by a pneumatic valve has been developed for reproducible microchip CE separations. The PDMS devices used for the evaluation comprise a separation channel, a side channel for sample introduction, and a pneumatic valve aligned at the intersection of the channels. A low pressure (≤ 3?psi) applied to the sample reservoir is sufficient to drive sample into the separation channel. The rapidly actuated pneumatic valve enables injection of discrete sample plugs as small as ~ 100?pL for CE separation. The injection volume can be easily controlled by adjusting the intersection geometry, the solution back pressure, and the valve actuation time. Sample injection could be reliably operated at different frequencies (< 0.1?Hz to > 2?Hz) with good reproducibility (peak height relative standard deviation ≤ 3.6%) and no sampling biases associated with the conventional electrokinetic injections. The separation channel was dynamically coated with a cationic polymer, and FITC-labeled amino acids were employed to evaluate the CE separation. Highly efficient (≥ 7.0 × 103 theoretical plates for the ~2.4-cm-long channel) and reproducible CE separations were obtained. The demonstrated method has numerous advantages compared with the conventional techniques, including repeatable and unbiased injections, little sample waste, high duty cycle, controllable injected sample volume, and fewer electrodes with no need for voltage switching. The prospects of implementing this injection method for coupling multidimensional separations for multiplexing CE separations and for sample-limited bioanalyses are discussed.     

Simultaneous determination of metal ions, amino acids, and other small biogenic molecules in human serum by capillary zone electrophoresis with transient isotachophoretic preconcentration

CE with indirect UV detection was used for the simultaneous determination of lithium, magnesium, calcium, creatinine, carnitine, and a number of amino acids in human serum. The target analytes, positively charged under acidic electrolyte conditions, were separated with positive separation voltage polarity using 10 mM 4-methylbenzylamine, 4.5 mM citric acid, 25% (v/v) methanol at pH 4.05 as background electrolyte providing optimal separation. When analyzing real samples, however, some peaks were broadened due to essentially destacking conditions. In order to maintain the separation efficiency and also enhance the detection sensitivity, transient isotachophoresis (tITP) sample stacking was applied and yielded theoretical plate numbers in the range from 160,000 (arginine) to 350,000 (creatinine). The limit of detection values with tITP preconcentration were 0.11-0.26 mg L(-1) for metal cations, 1.0 mg L(-1) for creatinine, and 1.3-3.9 mg L(-1) for histidine, lysine, arginine, and ornithine. The method precision for peak areas was from 0.4 to 5.0% relative standard deviation using the matrix sodium as internal standard. The accuracy of the developed tITP-CZE system was verified by consistent results for Li+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and creatinine obtained on analyzing two serum certified reference materials. The only sample preparation required was ultrafiltration and acidification (to release protein-bound alkaline earths), and working ranges for individual analytes corresponded well to clinical concentration ranges.     

Competitive immunoassay for recombinant hirudin using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

A competitive immunoassay based on capillary electrophoresis (CE) with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) has been developed for the determination of recombinant hirudin (r-hirudin) in biological mixtures. Hirudin, a thrombin inhibitor, is a polypeptide of 65 amino acids. To check purity levels and perform pharmacokinetic studies of (r-hirudin), specific and reproducible analysis methods are demanded. The work involved the development of separation conditions allowing for routine analysis of plasma samples. In this study, r-hirudin was labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), and FITC-labeled r-hirudin was purified using high-performance liquid chromatography. The purified product was then mixed with the sample followed with the addition of anti-hirudin antibody. Free, antibody-bound, and tagged r-hirudin could be separated within 5 min by CE analysis using uncoated fused-silica capillary with high reproducibility. The developed method can be used to determine r-hirudin with good precision and a detection limit lower than 20 nM. This result demonstrates the feasibility of the CE-LIF immunoassay method for the determination of r-hirudin in plasma samples.     

Determination of amino acids in urine by cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence detection

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) combined with laser-induced fluorescence detection is applied to the determination of amino acids in urine samples. The urine samples are first ultrafiltered, to remove proteins and large peptides, and the filtrates are then directly labeled by reaction with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). Cyclodextrin-modified CE using alpha-cyclodextrin is employed for the separation of the FITC-labeled amino acids. Seven amino acids are clearly separated from side reaction products produced during the labeling reaction, when an 80mM borate buffer containing 45mM alpha-cyclodextrin is used as the running buffer. For quantitative analysis, rhodamine B is added to the labeled urine samples as an internal standard. The calibration curves for phenylalanine, glutamine, proline, glycine, serine, alanine, and valine are linear in the range of 10microM to 100microM. The concentration limits of detection for all of the amino acids are estimated to be 160~330nM. Conversely, the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was ~10microM and the limitations are due to the labeling efficiency rather than the sensitivity of the detector. Three amino acids in urine samples, glutamine, glycine, and alanine, are readily quantitated, while the concentrations of the others are below the LOQ. The present method would permit the determination of seven amino acids in urine successfully.     

Optical fiber light-emitting diode-induced fluorescence detection for capillary electrophoresis

A highly sensitive optical fiber light-emitting diode (LED)-induced fluorescence detector for CE has been constructed and evaluated. In this detector, a violet or blue LED was used as the excitation source and an optical fiber with 40 microm OD was used to transmit the excitation light. The upper end of the fiber was inserted into the separation capillary and was situated right at the detection window. Fluorescence emission was collected by a 40 x microscope objective, focused on a spatial filter, and passed through a cutoff filter before reaching the photomultiplier tube. Output signals were recorded and processed with a computer using in-house written software. The present CE/fluorescence detector deploys a simple and inexpensive optical system that requires only an LED as the light source. Its utility was successfully demonstrated by the separation and determination of amino acids (AAs) labeled with naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde (NDA) and FITC. Low detection limits were obtained ranging from 17 to 23 nM for NDA-tagged AAs and 8 to 12 nM for FITC-labeled AAs (S/N=3). By virtue of such valuable features as low cost, convenience, and miniaturization, the presented detection scheme was proven to be attractive for sensitive fluorescence detection in CE.     

集成毛细管电泳芯片系统的制作、测试及应用

使用标准光刻和化学湿法腐蚀技术,在玻璃板材上制作了由样样管道和分离管道内构成的集成毛细管网路系统,对影响芯片质量的一些因素进行了讨论,并进行了性能测试和评价。芯片上毛细管道散热良好。使用激光诱导荧光和CCD成像检测系统,以电渗作用为驱动力,对混合样品进行了进样、快速分离（20s以内）和监测,证明了自制集成毛细管电泳芯片及检测系统的可行性。比较了两种注样方式（float和pinched)的不同;证明了在分离时可以优化加电策略,防止拖尾,改善峰形。     

Field amplified sample stacking coupled with chip-based capillary electrophoresis using negative pressure sample injection technique

A multi-T microchip for integrated field amplified sample stacking (FASS) with CE separation to increase the chip-based capillary electrophoresis (chip-based CE) sensitivity was developed. Volumetrically defined large sample plug was formed in one step within 5s by the negative pressure in headspace of the two sealed sample waste reservoirs produced using a syringe pump equipped with a 3-way valve. Stacking and separation can proceed only by switching the 3-way valve to release the vacuum in headspace of the two sample waste reservoirs. This approach considerably simplified the operations and the equipments for FASS in chip-based CE systems. Migration time precisions of 3.3% and 1.3% RSD for rhodamine123 (Rh123) and fluorescien sodium salt (Flu) in the separation of a mixture of Flu and Rh123 were obtained for nine consecutive determinations with peak height precisions of 4.8% and 3.4% RSD, respectively. Compared with the chip-based CE on the cross microchip, the sensitivity for analysis of FlTC, FITC-labeled valine (Val) and Alanine (Ala) increased 55-, 41- and 43-fold, respectively.     

HPLC with In-Capillary Optical Fiber Laser-Induced Fluorescence Detection of Picomolar Amounts of Amino Acids by Precolumn Fluorescence Derivatization with Fluorescein Isothiocyanate

In this paper, a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) precolumn derivatization technique in conjunction with an HPLC-in-capillary optical fiber laser-induced fluorescence (HPLC-ICOF-LIF) detection method has been developed for determination of amino acids. The HPLC separation of FITC-labeled amino acids and the ICOF-LIF detection system are studied and optimized. Optimum separation conditions were obtained with a gradient elution program of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer (10 mM, pH 6.8). The ICOF-LIF detection system comprises a 530-??m capillary and a 380-??m optical fiber. The analyses of amino acids display excellent linear relationship between peak area and concentration with correlation coefficients greater than 0.999 and the method also provides good repeatability with RSD < 3%. The detection limits for FITC-tagged amino acids are very low and the lowest LOD for tyrosine is 51 pM. The proposed method has been successfully applied to determination of amino acids in human serum. Our developed HPLC-ICOF-LIF system is cheap, simple, stable, and sensitive which is potentially useful for the formulation analysis and bioanalysis.     

Influence of ionic liquids as electrolyte additives on chiral separation of dansylated amino acids by using Zn(II) complex mediated chiral ligand exchange CE

In this work, investigation of the comparative influence of diverse ionic liquids (ILs) as electrolyte additives on the chiral separation of dansylated amino acids by using Zn(II)‐L‐arginine complex mediated chiral ligand exchange CE (CLE‐CE) was conducted. It has been found that not only the varied substituted group number, but also the alkyl chain length of the substituted group on imidazole ring in the structure of ILs show different influence on chiral separation of the analytes in the CLE‐CE system, which could be understood by their direct influence on EOF. Meanwhile, the variation of anion in the structure of ILs displayed remarkably changed performance and the ILs with Cl^? showed the most obvious promoting effect on the chiral separation performance. Among the investigated seven ILs, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride was validated to be the proper electrolyte additive in the CLE‐CE system. Moreover, it has been observed that 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride also has obvious promotive effect on the labeling performance. The results have demonstrated that the ILs with different structures have important relation to their performance in CLE‐CE and to their labeling efficiency in dansylation of the analytes.     

Application of Hadamard transformation to MEKC

The Hadamard transform (HT) technique, which permits the S/N in CE to be improved, was applied to MEKC. Multiple sample injection of fluorescent analytes according to a Hadamard code sequence was performed using an optically gated sample injection technique, in which a sample plug was produced based on photodegradation by irradiation with an intense laser beam. The capillary and reservoirs were filled with a sample solution containing buffer components and SDS as a pseudostationary phase. A preliminary study confirmed that fluorescein ion could be photobleached in the presence of SDS. The optically gated sample injection technique was then applied to multiple sample injection, based on a Hadamard matrix. The S/N in the electropherogram obtained by HT-MEKC was improved substantially compared to that obtained by a single injection method. When the technique was applied to the separation of several amino acids labeled with FITC, the S/N ratio for each amino acid was enhanced, without any evidence of degradation in separation resolution. Moreover, HT-MEKC was applied to the analysis of amino acids contained in a Japanese beverage, resulting in improved S/Ns for the amino acids.     

Fabrication of micro free-flow electrophoresis chip by photocurable monomer binding microfabrication technique for continuous separation of proteins and their numerical simulation

In this study, a simple, fast, and reliable method to fabricate a micro free-flow electrophoresis (μFFE) device on glass is presented. The two-dimensional depth channel in the chip was easily achieved by using a photocurable monomer (NOA?81) that served as the bonding material. In such a geometrical structure (two-dimensional depth channel), the effect of fluid behavior on the separation efficiency of micro free-flow zone electrophoresis (μFFZE) was simulated. The results of numerical simulation indicate that the pressure at the inlets may play an important role in the separation performance. Under the optimum separation conditions, four FITC-labeled amino acids were well separated, indicating the validity of the performance of the chip. Since the chip was fabricated by organic polymer bonding, it was easily recyclable through a simple re-fabrication process. The reproducibility of results from these recycling re-fabrication chips was investigated. The RSD of the resolution between FITC-l-glycine and FITC-l-phenylalanine was 5.3%. Furthermore, three FITC-labeled proteins were successfully separated with the resolution of 2.2 and 5.46, respectively, by using the coating of neutral liposome.     

Separation of anions by ion chromatography-capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) with a water-soluble ion-exchange polymer in the background electrolyte is very efficient for the separation of organic and inorganic anions because the ion-exchange selectivity, as well as differences in electrophoretic mobility, can be used for separating sample ions. Poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDAC) was employed for this purpose. A very stable electroosmotic flow was obtained between pH 2.3 and 8.5 due to the strong adsorption of PDDAC onto the capillary wall. The effect of ion exchange on the migration of sample anions and their separation was controlled by varying the concentration of PDDAC, the concentration and the type of salt used in the CE background electrolyte. Addition of organic solvent (e.g., acetonitrile) could also modify the sample migration and the separation. Baseline separations were obtained for anions with very similar mobilities, such as bromide and iodide, naphthalenesulfonates, and bi- and tricarboxylic acids. Typical separation efficiencies were between 195,000 and 429,000 theoretical plates per meter. Ten replicate separations gave an average RSD of 1.0% for migration times of the sample anions studied. Excellent separations were obtained for a variety of samples, including a separation of 17 inorganic and organic anions in less than 6 min.     

Continuous on-line derivatization and selective separation of D-aspartic acid by a capillary electrophoresis system with a continuous sample introduction interface

A rapid and selective method is described for the separation of D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) using a continuous on-line derivatization system coupled to capillary electrophoresis (CE). D-Asp was derivatized using o-phthaldialdehyde/N-acetyl-L-cysteine (OPA/NAC). By on-line derivatization, amino acid enantiomers were automatically and reproducibly converted to the UV-absorbing diastereomer derivatives which were separated by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) in the presence of 10 mmol/L beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD). Under the investigated separation conditions, D-Asp is resolved from L-aspartic acid (L-Asp) and other amino acids in a standard mixture of amino acids. The separation could be achieved within 4 min and the sample throughput rate can reach up to 16 h(-1). The repeatability (defined as relative standard deviation, RSD) was 3.21%, 3.58% with peak area evaluation and 3.72%, 4.03% with peak height evaluation for L-Asp and D-Asp.