Microfluidic chips for clinical and forensic analysis

Abstract

This review gives an overview of developments in the field of microchip analysis for clinical diagnostic and forensic applications. The approach chosen to review the literature is different from that in most microchip reviews to date, in that the information is presented in terms of analytes tested rather than microchip method. Analyte categories for which examples are presented include (i) drugs (quality control, seizures) and explosives residues, (ii) drugs and endogenous small molecules and ions in biofluids, (iii) proteins and peptides, and (iv) analysis of nucleic acids and oligonucleotides. Few cases of microchip analysis of physiological samples or other "real-world" matrices were found. However, many of the examples presented have potential application for these samples, especially with ongoing parallel developments involving integration of sample pretreatment onto chips and the use of fluid propulsion mechanisms other than electrokinetic pumping.

New advances in microchip fabrication for electrochromatography

“…Prototypes of such systems have been reported to be useful in analytical chemistry, biomedical applications, and microchemical processing [1][2][3][4]. Applications in electric-field-mediated separations like electrophoresis and more recently in electrochromatography have also received much attention [5][6][7][8].…”

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“…In these previous works it became apparent that for MEF to occur, there is a need to localize the fluorophore (or species of interest) in regions in close proximity to the silver surface. However, in many applications of fluorescence, it would be advantageous to have localized silver deposition for spatially selective analysis, such as for lab-on-a-chip technologies [10,11]. Localized silver colloid formation has been accomplished with reagents in laminar flow [12], by nanolithography [13,14], and by electroplating on insulators [15].…”

Horseradish and soybean peroxidases: comparable tools for alternative niches?

“…Enzyme microreactors, for example, 221 permit chemical and biochemical reactions to be carried out on a microscale. HRP has 222 previously been used as a model microreactor system to monitor HRP catalytic 223 activity and as a diagnostic tool; however, the development of this field will be 224 determined by the ability to immobilise peroxidases onto suitable support structures 225 [63]. Miniaturisation of enzymatic processes is also evident in the diagnostics sector, wastewater treatment [66], and a more widespread use of nano-structures for 238 peroxidase based sensors [67 & 68].…”