Microfluidics in Analytical Chemistry

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "C:Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 15221

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Guest Editor
Chemistry Institute, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
Interests: microchip electrophoresis; microfabrication; 3D printing; electrochemical detection; fluorescence detection; reactive nitrogen species; cell analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After 30 years of intense activity in this field of research, miniaturization in analytical chemistry science is now well-established, yet there are many issues in need of addressing with new manufacturing technologies and applications continuing to emerge at an accelerating pace.

In this way, this Special Issue of Micromachines, titled “Microfluidics in Analytical Chemistry”, hopes to cover all aspects of microfluidic systems applied in analytical chemistry, original research and reviews papers to be considered for publication. Detection strategies, sample processing, advances in instrumentation and methods, fluid control, the integration of analytical steps, parallel processing, new microfabrication strategies, and sensor development are some examples of fields of interest, as well as welcoming the applications of microfluidic devices and sensors regarding bioanalysis, cell sorting and counting, environmental analysis, remote monitoring, point-of-care, wearable sensors, etc.

We look forward to receiving your contribution to this Special Issue!

Prof. Dr. José Alberto Fracassi da Silva
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • microfluidic devices
  • sensors
  • micro total analysis systems
  • optical detection
  • fluorescence detection
  • electrochemical actuators
  • electrochemical detection
  • mass spectrometry
  • sample treatment
  • parallel processing
  • microfabrication
  • 3D printing
  • point-of-care devices
  • wearable sensors

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1475 KiB  
Article
Nitrite Determination in Environmental Water Samples Using Microchip Electrophoresis Coupled with Amperometric Detection
by Simone Bernardino Lucas, Lucas Mattos Duarte, Kariolanda Cristina Andrade Rezende and Wendell Karlos Tomazelli Coltro
Micromachines 2022, 13(10), 1736; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13101736 - 14 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2006
Abstract
Nitrite is considered an important target analyte for environmental monitoring. In water resources, nitrite is the result of the nitrogen cycle and the leaching processes of pesticides based on nitrogenous compounds. A high concentration of nitrite can be associated with intoxication processes and [...] Read more.
Nitrite is considered an important target analyte for environmental monitoring. In water resources, nitrite is the result of the nitrogen cycle and the leaching processes of pesticides based on nitrogenous compounds. A high concentration of nitrite can be associated with intoxication processes and metabolic disorders in humans. The present study describes the development of a portable analytical methodology based on microchip electrophoresis coupled with amperometric detection for the determination of nitrite in environmental water samples. Electrophoretic and detection conditions were optimized, and the best separations were achieved within 60 s by employing a mixture of 30 mmol L−1 lactic acid and 15 mmol L−1 histidine (pH = 3.8) as a running buffer applying 0.7 V to the working electrode (versus Pt) for amperometric measurements. The developed methodology revealed a satisfactory linear behavior in the concentration range between 20 and 80 μmolL−1 (R2 = 0.999) with a limit of detection of 1.3 μmolL−1. The nitrite concentration was determined in five water samples and the achieved values ranged from (28.7 ± 1.6) to (67.1 ± 0.5) µmol L−1. The data showed that using the proposed methodology revealed satisfactory recovery values (83.5–103.8%) and is in good agreement with the reference technique. Due to its low sample consumption, portability potential, high analytical frequency, and instrumental simplicity, the developed methodology may be considered a promising strategy to monitor and quantitatively determine nitrite in environmental samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidics in Analytical Chemistry)
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14 pages, 1855 KiB  
Article
Rapid Microchip Electrophoretic Separation of Novel Transcriptomic Body Fluid Markers for Forensic Fluid Profiling
by Tiffany R. Layne, Renna L. Nouwairi, Rachel Fleming, Haley Blair and James P. Landers
Micromachines 2022, 13(10), 1657; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13101657 - 1 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2222
Abstract
Initial screening of criminal evidence often involves serological testing of stains of unknown composition and/or origin discovered at a crime scene to determine the tissue of origin. This testing is presumptive but critical for contextualizing the scene. Here, we describe a microfluidic approach [...] Read more.
Initial screening of criminal evidence often involves serological testing of stains of unknown composition and/or origin discovered at a crime scene to determine the tissue of origin. This testing is presumptive but critical for contextualizing the scene. Here, we describe a microfluidic approach for body fluid profiling via fluorescent electrophoretic separation of a published mRNA panel that provides unparalleled specificity and sensitivity. This centrifugal microfluidic approach expedites and automates the electrophoresis process by allowing for simple, rotationally driven flow and polymer loading through a 5 cm separation channel; with each disc containing three identical domains, multi-sample analysis is possible with a single disc and multi-sample detection per disc. The centrifugal platform enables a series of sequential unit operations (metering, mixing, aliquoting, heating, storage) to execute automated electrophoretic separation. Results show on-disc fluorescent detection and sizing of amplicons to perform comparably with a commercial ‘gold standard’ benchtop instrument and permitted sensitive, empirical discrimination between five distinct body fluids in less than 10 min. Notably, our microfluidic platform represents a faster, simpler method for separation of a transcriptomic panel to be used for forensically relevant body fluid identification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidics in Analytical Chemistry)
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10 pages, 3015 KiB  
Article
Multilayer Soft Photolithography Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using a Custom-Built Wafer-Scale PDMS Slab Aligner and Cost-Efficient Equipment
by Trieu Nguyen, Tanoy Sarkar, Tuan Tran, Sakib M. Moinuddin, Dipongkor Saha and Fakhrul Ahsan
Micromachines 2022, 13(8), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13081357 - 20 Aug 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5170
Abstract
We present a robust, low-cost fabrication method for implementation in multilayer soft photolithography to create a PDMS microfluidic chip with features possessing multiple height levels. This fabrication method requires neither a cleanroom facility nor an expensive UV exposure machine. The central part of [...] Read more.
We present a robust, low-cost fabrication method for implementation in multilayer soft photolithography to create a PDMS microfluidic chip with features possessing multiple height levels. This fabrication method requires neither a cleanroom facility nor an expensive UV exposure machine. The central part of the method stays on the alignment of numerous PDMS slabs on a wafer-scale instead of applying an alignment for a photomask positioned right above a prior exposure layer using a sophisticated mask aligner. We used a manual XYZR stage attached to a vacuum tweezer to manipulate the top PDMS slab. The bottom PDMS slab sat on a rotational stage to conveniently align with the top part. The movement of the two slabs was observed by a monocular scope with a coaxial light source. As an illustration of the potential of this system for fast and low-cost multilayer microfluidic device production, we demonstrate the microfabrication of a 3D microfluidic chaotic mixer. A discussion on another alternative method for the fabrication of multiple height levels is also presented, namely the micromilling approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidics in Analytical Chemistry)
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8 pages, 3489 KiB  
Article
Simple and Label-Free Detection of Carboxylesterase and Its Inhibitors Using a Liquid Crystal Droplet Sensing Platform
by Duy-Khiem Nguyen and Chang-Hyun Jang
Micromachines 2022, 13(3), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13030490 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2300
Abstract
In this study, we developed a liquid crystal (LC) droplet-based sensing platform for the detection of carboxylesterase (CES) and its inhibitors. The LC droplet patterns in contact with myristoylcholine chloride (Myr) exhibited dark cross appearances, corresponding to homeotropic anchoring of the LCs at [...] Read more.
In this study, we developed a liquid crystal (LC) droplet-based sensing platform for the detection of carboxylesterase (CES) and its inhibitors. The LC droplet patterns in contact with myristoylcholine chloride (Myr) exhibited dark cross appearances, corresponding to homeotropic anchoring of the LCs at the aqueous/LC interface. However, in the presence of CES, Myr was hydrolyzed; therefore, the optical images of the LC patterns changed to bright fan-shaped textures, corresponding to a planar orientation of LCs at the interface. In contrast, the presence of CES inhibitors, such as benzil, inhibits the hydrolysis of Myr; as a result, the LC patterns exhibit dark cross textures. This principle led to the development of an LC droplet-based sensing method with a detection limit of 2.8 U/L and 10 μM, for CES detection and its inhibitor, respectively. The developed biosensor not only enables simple and label-free detection of CES but also shows high promise for the detection of CES inhibitors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidics in Analytical Chemistry)
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Review

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19 pages, 2153 KiB  
Review
The Integration of Field Effect Transistors to Microfluidic Devices
by Dhaniella Cristhina de Brito Oliveira, Fernando Henrique Marques Costa and José Alberto Fracassi da Silva
Micromachines 2023, 14(4), 791; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14040791 - 31 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2852
Abstract
Devices that integrate field effect transistors into microfluidic channels are becoming increasingly promising in the medical, environmental, and food realms, among other applications. The uniqueness of this type of sensor lies in its ability to reduce the background signals existing in the measurements, [...] Read more.
Devices that integrate field effect transistors into microfluidic channels are becoming increasingly promising in the medical, environmental, and food realms, among other applications. The uniqueness of this type of sensor lies in its ability to reduce the background signals existing in the measurements, which interfere in obtaining good limits of detection for the target analyte. This and other advantages intensify the development of selective new sensors and biosensors with coupling configuration. This review work focused on the main advances in the fabrication and application of field effect transistors integrated into microfluidic devices as a way of identifying the potentialities that exist in these systems when used in chemical and biochemical analyses. The emergence of research on integrated sensors is not a recent study, although more recently the progress of these devices is more accentuated. Among the studies that used integrated sensors with electrical and microfluidic parts, those that investigated protein binding interactions seem to be the ones that expanded the most due, among other things, to the possibility of obtaining several physicochemical parameters involved in protein–protein interactions. Studies in this area have a great possibility of advancing innovations in sensors with electrical and microfluidic interfaces in new designs and applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidics in Analytical Chemistry)
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