Dissolvable Valve for PCR Reagent Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Undesired reactions occur when mixing reaction components under less than ideal conditions, such as mixing reagents for PCR at room temperature, and dry formulations are limited by the hygroscopic nature of reactants, leading to short shelf lives.
Innovation Solution
A fluid processing device with a substrate and multiple fluid retainment regions separated by a water-soluble LCST-free barrier, which can partially or fully separate reagents and includes fluid passageways with actuatable valves to control the mixing of reaction components, allowing for controlled fluid communication and flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If reagents are stored in the same chamber or in close proximity to one another due to space constraints, then device compactness is improved, but undesired premature reactions occur between reagents
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the reaction space into multiple separate fluid retainment regions (first fluid retainment region, second fluid retainment region) that are physically isolated from each other. Each region can hold different reagents without direct contact, preventing premature reactions while maintaining a compact overall device structure. The barrier between regions provides the physical segmentation needed to maintain both compactness and reaction reliability.
2Reliability
If a barrier is used to separate fluid retainment regions to prevent premature reactions, then reaction reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier separating the fluid retainment regions is implemented as a thin film or membrane structure that provides effective separation while minimizing the added complexity. This thin-film approach maintains reaction reliability by preventing premature mixing, while its simple geometric form and integration into the device architecture avoid significant increases in overall device complexity.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If dry formulations are used to extend shelf life, then storage stability is improved, but the hygroscopic nature of reactants still causes limited shelf lives
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic interaction between hygroscopic reactants by physically separating them into different fluid retainment regions. By taking out the reagents from direct contact with each other and storing them in isolated compartments, the device prevents unwanted interactions that would otherwise occur in dry formulations, thereby extending shelf life while maintaining compositional stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The separated fluid retainment regions create isolated environments for each reagent, effectively providing an inert environment that prevents unwanted chemical interactions. This isolation protects the compositional stability of each reagent until the moment of intended mixing, thereby extending the functional shelf life of the reaction components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively prevents premature reactions and extends the shelf life of reaction components by allowing controlled mixing and processing of reagents, enhancing the stability and efficiency of fluid processing operations.
Implementation Method 1
The barrier can comprise a water-soluble LCST-free material
Implementation Method 2
The barrier can comprise a fluid flow modulator arranged in a fluid passageway and adapted to open to establish fluid communication or to increase the rate of fluid communication
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid processing device, system, and method for processing a fluid, are provided. The device includes a substrate, a plurality of fluid retainment regions formed in or on the substrate, and a barrier at least partially separating two or more of the fluid retainment regions, wherein the barrier can include a solvent-dissolvable, LCST-free material.