3D printing of microfluidic devices for paper-assisted direct spray ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract

We describe the use of a RepRap 3D printer to fabricate microfluidic devices for direct spray ionization mass spectrometry assisted by paper tips.

A miniaturised 3D printed polypropylene reactor for online reaction analysis by mass spectrometry

“…16 Additionally, 3D printing has been used to create a cartridge for solvent delivery for paper spray ionisation 17 and a microfluidic device to hold a paper tip for paper spray ionisation. 18 As far as we are aware, reports on 3D printed microreactors with a mass spectrometric ionisation component, here a nanoelectrospray ionisation (nano-ESI) capillary, embedded during the printing process have not been found in the literature. The integrated nano-ESI capillary allows direct sampling of the reaction solution without external pumping, since the electrospray process automatically pulls liquid from the reaction chamber via the nano-ESI capillary.…”

Chemical and biochemical analysis on lab-on-a-chip devices fabricated using three-dimensional printing

“…Similarly, microfluidic devices (Fig. 6B) were 3D printed by prof. Coltro for paper assisted direct spray ionization MS [112]. The analytical feasibility of the proposed devices was successfully demonstrated for direct spray ionization-MS analysis of ballpoint pen inks, caffeine, xylose and lysozyme.…”

“…[77] with permission from Elsevier; The picture in MS method was taken from ref. [112] with permission from The Royal Society of Chemistry. …”

3D printing for chemical, pharmaceutical and biological applications

“…19 Other demonstrations of printed analytical hardware have included ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, 20 light emitting diode array detection, 21 flow cytometry, 22 magnetic resonance imaging, 23 scanning electron microscopy, 24 polymerase chain reaction, 25 low temperature plasma ionization, 26 electrophoresis, 27 and direct spray ionization mass spectrometry. 28 8…”