Biosensors for environmental pollutants and food contaminants

This review article provides an overview of the most recent literature on biosensors for environmental pollutants and food contaminants. Due to the large number of publications, only papers published between 2000 and January 2003 were considered. Also, while not all of the published literature could be reviewed here, over 200 references are cited to provide a good overview of research undertaken in the last two years. Older publications are covered by a number of earlier review articles. This article provides an introduction into the field including specific consideration of the application areas, describes the typical biosensor assay format used, and is subsequently structured according to the biorecognition elements used (i.e., nucleic acids, enzymes, whole cells, tissue and whole organisms, antibodies and receptors, and biomimetic materials). In addition, a section on microbiosensing systems is provided. Since only very few microbiosensors with applications in environmental and food systems have been published, enabling technology is also covered in this article.Abbreviations BOD biological oxygen demand - cfu colony forming units - DNP dinitrophenol - GFP green fluorescent protein - NASBA nucleic acid sequence-based amplification - PCR polymerase chain reaction - ppt parts per trillion - QCM quartz crystal microbalance - SPR surface plasmon resonance     

Construction of microscale structures in enclosed microfluidic networks by using a magnetic beads based method

A large number of microscale structures have been used to elaborate flowing control or complex biological and chemical reaction on microfluidic chips. However, it is still inconvenient to fabricate microstructures with different heights (or depths) on the same substrate. These kinds of microstructures can be fabricated by using the photolithography and wet-etching method step by step, but involves time-consuming design and fabrication process, as well as complicated alignment of different masters. In addition, few existing methods can be used to perform fabrication within enclosed microfluidic networks. It is also difficult to change or remove existing microstructures within these networks. In this study, a magnetic-beads-based approach is presented to build microstructures in enclosed microfluidic networks. Electromagnetic field generated by microfabricated conducting wires (coils) is used to manipulate and trap magnetic beads on the bottom surface of a microchannel. These trapped beads are accumulated to form a microscale pile with desired shape, which can adjust liquid flow, dock cells, modify surface, and do some other things as those fabricated microstructures. Once the electromagnetic field is changed, trapped beads may form new shapes or be removed by a liquid flow. Besides being used in microfabrication, this magnetic-beads-based method can be used for novel microfluidic manipulation. It has been validated by forming microscale dam structure for cell docking and modified surface for cell patterning, as well as guiding the growth of neurons.     

用规整膜板对砷化镓的三维微结构图形加工刻蚀

以微齿轮图形结构作为规整模板 ,用约束刻蚀剂层技术对GaAs样品表面进行了加工刻蚀 .在有捕捉剂H3AsO3存在的情况下 ,规则微齿轮图形能够很好地在样品表面复制 .刻蚀结果与没有捕捉剂存在时的刻蚀结果做了比较 .另外还测试了不同方法制得膜板的性能 ,初步探讨了电化学模板的制作工艺 .     

注塑型聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯多通道微流控芯片的研制及其性能考察

微流控芯片技术因具有微量、快速、高效和高通量等特点,已成为分析化学领域中的研究热点之一．在微流控芯片中,最常见的可用作芯片的材料为玻璃、石英和各种塑料．玻璃和石英有很好的电渗性和光学性质,可采用标准的刻蚀工艺加工和用化学方法进行表面改性,但加工成本较高,封接难度较大．     

双光子聚合引发剂BVPDA的合成、结构及非线性光学性质

合成了双光子聚合引发剂{4-[2-(4-溴苯基)-乙烯基]苯基}-二苯基胺(BVPDA),并测定了其晶体结构.结果表明,BVPDA为三斜晶系,P1空间群,a=1.0834(3)_nm,b=1.5625(2)_nm,c=1.9640(2)_nm,α=92.807(8)°,β=103.647(10)°,γ=106.676(13)°,V=3.0705(10)_nm³,Z=6,T=293(2)K,Dc=1.383g/cm³,R₁=0.0735,wR=0.1063.用¹HNMR谱、¹³CNMR谱及元素分析进行了表征.测试了紫外吸收光谱、单光子荧光光谱、单光子荧光寿命和双光子荧光光谱.在760nm的飞秒脉冲激光激发下,BVP-DA发出较强的上转换荧光,荧光峰位于462nm.以BVPDA作引发剂,加入丙烯酸酯型齐聚物(CN120C80),用Ti:sapphire飞秒激光器作光源,制作了一个三维周期性微结构.     

New advances in microfluidic flow cytometry

In recent years, researchers are paying the increasing attention to the development of portable microfluidic diagnostic devices including microfluidic flow cytometry for the point‐of‐care testing. Microfluidic flow cytometry, where microfluidics and flow cytometry work together to realize novel functionalities on the microchip, provides a powerful tool for measuring the multiple characteristics of biological samples. The development of a portable, low‐cost, and compact flow cytometer can benefit the health care in underserved areas such as Africa or Asia. In this article, we review recent advancements of microfluidics including sample pumping, focusing and sorting, novel detection approaches, and data analysis in the field of flow cytometry. The challenge of microfluidic flow cytometry is also examined briefly.     

Simple,low‐cost fabrication of semi‐circular channel using the surface tension of solder paste and its application to microfluidic valves

This work presents a simple, low‐cost method to fabricate semi‐circular channels using solder paste, which can amalgamate the cooper surface to form a half‐cylinder mold using the surface tension of Sn–Pd alloy (the main component in solder paste). This technique enables semi‐circular channels to be manufactured with different dimensions. These semi‐circular channels will then be integrated with a polymethylmethacrylate frame and machine screws to create miniaturized, portable microfluidic valves for sequential liquid delivery and particle synthesis. This approach avoids complicated fabrication processes and expensive facilities and thus has the potential to be a useful tool for lab‐on‐a‐chip applications.     

Flexible Rolled Thick‐Film Miniaturized Flow‐Cell for Minimally Invasive Amperometric Sensing

We describe here a miniaturized flexible thick‐film electrochemical biosensor flow detector, suitable for insertion into the lacrimal canaliculus towards minimally invasive amperometric monitoring of biomarkers in the tear fluid. Our focus here is on the microfabrication and in‐vitro testing of the new laterally rolled screen‐printed sensor. The new device responds rapidly and sensitively to dynamic changes in the levels of norepinephrine and glucose (the later in connection to glucose‐oxidase containing ink). Coverage of the enzyme electrode with an electropolymerized polytyramine minimizes contributions from the common electroactive interferences ascorbic and uric acids. Such attractive performance indicates great promise for minimally invasive monitoring of health biomarkers in the tear fluid, or in alternative usage such as capillary microelectrophoresis, ultralow volume sampling, or in‐flow (tubular) systems for batch processing of blood or culture media.     

Micro Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (μEIS) Fabricated on the Curved Surface of a Fine Needle for Biotissue Discrimination

This work presents a novel micro electrical impedance spectroscopy (μEIS) technique that can measure and discriminate the electrical signal responses of biotissues in real time. An EoN (EIS‐on‐a‐needle), EIS on the surface of a fine needle (400 μm in diameter), was fabricated using a newly developed flexible photomask film. The base material of the photomask is parylene‐C, which allows uniform contact on the curved surface of the needle; thus, the designed electrode patterns of the photomask can be transferred onto the needle surface with a high resolution (2.95 % or less in dimensional error). To validate the developed EoN as an electrical sensor, ex vivo experiments with various biotissues—butchered pork (skin, fat, and muscle) and human breast tissues (normal and cancerous)—were conducted by measuring real‐time electrical impedance during a frequency sweep. The conductivities (relative permittivity) of the pork tissues were evaluated by electrical equivalent circuit analysis: 56.6 mS/m (37,800), 68.0 mS/m (74,755), and 74.9 mS/m (26,145) for the skin, fat, and muscle, respectively. Moreover, the normal and cancerous tissues were well distinguished by electrical resistance at 4.04 kHz for various cancer grades (Elston grades 1, 2, and 3). Analysis of the electrical impedance suggests that the EoN can be utilized to diagnose the physiological states of biotissues in clinical use.     

Simple and rapid methods for the fabrication of polymeric and glass chips for using in analytical chemistry

This paper describes simple and rapid methods for the fabrication of glass and polymeric chips for routine analytical applications. The methods are easily interfaced to the general laboratory environment and do not require special clean room facilities or expensive instruments. Glass microchips were fabricated by etching with HF solution. Microfluidic channels were designed with CAD program and transferred onto a sheet of commercial polymeric self-adhesive (PSA) film by a cutter plotter. The PSA film was used as a mask for etching process. The etching rate was about 7 μm min⁻¹. A cover glass plate was sealed on the top of etched substrate by using polycellulose (cellophane). Polymeric microchips were fabricated by sawing with a jigsaw. Commercial polycarbonate (PC) was used as a substrate and two iron sheets were used as leader masks. While this restricts us to the fabrication of straight channels, it is however, much faster and less complicated than the other methods. The chip comprised three polymeric plates and the channels were created in the middle plate. Thermal bonding was used to bond three layers of the microfluidic chip. With this method, we could achieve simple channels with the width of about 200 μm. The channel depth depends on the polymeric plate thickness. Fabricated channels were accurate without any sinuosity or sideshow.