We synthesized monodispersed submillimeter-sized (100 μm-1 mm) microgels by inverse suspension polymerization of water-soluble monomer species with a photoinitiator in water-in-oil (W/O) droplets formed by the microchannel. After fundamental investigations of the selection of suitable surfactants, surfactant concentration, and flow rate, we successfully prepared monodispersed submillimeter-sized W/O droplets. Because radical polymerization based on thermal initiation was not appropriated based on colloidal stability, we selected photoinitiation, which resulted in the successful synthesis of monodispersed submillimeter-sized microgels with sufficient colloidal stability. The microgel size was controlled by the flow rate of the oil phase, which maintained the monodispersity. In addition, the submillimeter-sized microgels exhibit high affinity and selective binding toward HSA utilizing molecular imprinting. We believe the monodispersed submillimeter-sized molecularly imprinted microgels can be used as affinity column packing materials without any biomolecules, such as antibodies, for sample pretreatment to remove unwanted proteins without a pump system.

Conclusion: The results of the study suggest the possibility of co-infections with several genospecies of B. burgdorferi s.l. evidenced by the presence of IgM antibodies to OspC of B. burgdorferi s.s., B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. spielmanii. The detection of antibodies directed against specific B. spielmanii antigens suggests that this microorganism may be responsible for triggering borreliosis both as a single etiologic agent and in co-infection with other Borrelia genospecies.