Biocompatible solid-phase microextraction coatings and methods for their preparation

Abstract

A biocompatible coating for solid phase microextraction (SPME) of a small molecule from a biological matrix. The coating comprises SPME particles and a biocompatible polymer. The biocompatible polymer (e.g. polyacrylonitrile) reduces adsorption of proteins or macromolecules onto the SPME particles and allows the SPME particles to extract the small molecule from the matrix. A process for coating a flexible fiber with a biocompatible coating. The process comprises: coating the fiber with a suspension of SPME particles, the SPME particles being suspended in a solution of a biocompatible polymer and a solvent, the biocompatible polymer can comprise polyacrylonitrile (PAN); drying the coated fiber to remove the solvent; and curing the dried coated fiber at an elevated temperature.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 706,167, filed Feb. 15, 2007, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 208,933 filed Aug. 23, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,689) which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 506,827 filed Sep. 7, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,384,794) which is derived from International Patent Application PCT / CA2003 / 0000311. Further this application is entitled to the benefit of and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application 60 / 364,214 filed Mar. 11, 2002; U.S. Patent Application 60 / 393,309 filed Jul. 3, 2002; U.S. Patent Application 60 / 421,001 filed Oct. 25, 2002; U.S. Patent Application 60 / 421,510 filed Oct. 28, 2002; and U.S. Patent Application 60 / 427,833 filed Nov. 21, 2002. The entirety of each document being incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH[0002]Not ApplicableFIELD OF THE INVEN...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a biocompatible coating for solid phase microextraction (SPME) of a small molecule from a matrix, the coating comprising SPME particles and a biocompatible polymer, the biocompatible polymer reducing adsorption of proteins or macromolecules onto the SPME particles and allowing the SPME particles to extract the small molecule from the matrix.

Problems solved by technology

This method produces accurate results with high specificity for the compound of interest, but is time consuming and labour intensive.

Also, because of the large number of steps in the process there is a significant chance of errors in sample preparation impacting the results.

This method has good sensitivity and selectivity and accuracy for the target compounds but is limited in that the chemical balance inside the animal is disrupted during sampling.

In many cases, this disruption reduces the value of the results obtained, and in some cases makes this technique inappropriate for the analysis.

Where the removed blood volume is a high proportion of the total blood volume of the animal, as is commonly the case when mice are used, the death of the animal results.

The main limitations of this type of device are that they normally respond to a spectrum of chemicals rather than having specificity for only one chemical.

Sensors are also susceptible to interferences where another chemical present in a system interferes with the response produced by the target chemicals.

It is for these reasons that biosensors are normally limited in terms of accuracy and precision.

The current commercial devices do, however, have some limitations for in vivo and in vitro analysis of a biological matrix, such as blood or tissue.

Firstly, the most difficult and undesirable problem is the adsorption of proteins and other macromolecules on the surface of SPME fibers.

These macromolecules constitute a diffusion barrier and decrease the extraction efficiency in subsequent experiments.

However, good extractive materials are generally not biocompatible and PAN is not appropriate as an extractive material for SPME.

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