Ion Selective Membrane Stacking for Microfluidic Sample Preconcentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microfluidic technologies face challenges in incorporating enzymatic reactions and sample pretreatment into fully integrated devices due to difficulties in mixing reagents, constructing incubation chambers, and incorporating solid supports, which limits their scalability and efficiency in processes like drug discovery and DNA sequencing.
Innovation Solution
A membrane-based stacking device that captures charged molecules using electrophoretic stacking and hydrodynamic sweeping effects, eliminating the need for solid supports and allowing for buffer exchange and reagent injection, thereby enabling efficient sample preparation and microreactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If solid supports are used for sample pretreatment and enzymatic reactions in microfluidic devices, then molecule capture and reaction functionality are achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes solid supports from the microfluidic device structure entirely. Instead of incorporating solid phases for molecule capture and enzymatic reactions, the invention uses purely liquid-based systems with ion-selective membranes that enable selective ion transport without requiring solid materials within the fluidic channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical solid support structures with an electrical field-based system. Ion-selective membranes respond to electrical fields to achieve selective ion transport, substituting the need for mechanically complex solid support structures with a simpler electrical control mechanism.
2Productivity
If solid stationary phases are used for sample pretreatment, then molecule capture and preconcentration are achieved, but ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates solid stationary phases from the system, replacing them with ion-selective membranes that provide selective ion transport functionality without requiring solid material packing. This extraction of solid components simplifies manufacturing while maintaining the preconcentration capability through electrical field control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces ion-selective membranes as intermediary elements that mediate selective ion transport between different regions. These membranes act as the functional equivalent of solid stationary phases but can be more easily integrated into microfluidic devices through standard membrane fabrication techniques rather than complex packing procedures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple solid supports are used for different analytical situations, then specificity for different molecules is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal platform using ion-selective membranes that can be configured to respond to different electrical field patterns. By programming the electrical field distribution and membrane characteristics, the same basic device architecture can achieve specificity for different types of biomolecules (DNA, proteins, peptides) without requiring different physical solid supports or custom chip designs for each application.
4Adaptability or versatility
If solid supports are used for enzymatic reactions, then reaction functionality is achieved, but reliability decreases due to contamination and enzyme degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes solid supports from the enzymatic reaction environment, creating a purely liquid-based reaction system. This extraction eliminates the contamination issues associated with solid materials and extends enzyme stability by removing the degradation pathways that occur on solid surfaces, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing enzymatic reaction functionality.
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
This approach allows for the efficient capture and preconcentration of charged molecules, enabling high-throughput analysis and reducing reagent consumption, while being suitable for large-scale production and minimizing contamination risks.
Implementation Method 1
at least one anode and at least one cathode individually separated from said channel, but in electrical contact with said flow stream, by a conductive ion selective semi-permeable membrane. Said membrane permits the selective passage of either negatively (anion selective membrane) or positively (cation selective membrane) charged ions
Implementation Method 2
creating zones with different local electric fields wherein certain ions are captured by stacking and hydrodynamic sweeping effects
Implementation Method 3
a hydrodynamic force is applied to ions attracted by the electrode situated upstream, which is greater than and in opposition to the electrical force generated on the charged molecules of interest situated at the zone with lower local electric field strength
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for capturing charged molecules of interest traveling in an electrolyte flow stream through an electrically non-conductive channel, comprising at least one anode and at least one cathode individually separated from said channel, but in electrical contact with said flow stream, by a conductive ion selective semi-permeable membrane. Said membrane interferes with the normal migration of ions towards its respective electrode, generating at least two zones of different electric field. Balance between hydrodynamic and electrical forces captures certain ions into the flow stream. it also relates to a device for performing the method.