Abstract:
A microscale fluid handling system (10) that permits the efficient transfer of nanoliter to picoliter quantities of a fluid sample from the spatially concentrated environment of a microfabricated chip to "off-chip" analytical or collection devices (23) for further off-chip sample manipulation and analysis is disclosed. The fluid handling system (10) is fabricated in the form of one or more channels (12), in any suitable format, provided in a microchip body or substrate of silica, polymer or other suitable non-conductive material, or of stainless steel, noble metal, silicon or other suitable conductive or semi-conductive material. The microchip fluid handling system (10) includes one or more exit ports (16) integral with the end of one or more of the channels (12) for consecutive or simultaneous off-chip analysis or collection of the sample. The exit port or ports (16) may be configured, for example, as an electrospray interface for transfer of a fluid sample to a mass spectrometer (23).
Abstract:
An universal interface for continuous on-line liquid sample introduction directly into the source chamber (5) of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (20) for matrix-assisted-laser-desorption-ionization (MALDI) analysis is disclosed. The liquid sample includes a liquid or solid matrix material used in conventional MALDI analysis and is deposited directly onto a moving sample holder (22) in the source chamber (5). The sample holder (22) is at subatmospheric pressure, causing the rapid drying of the sample. The dried sample is subsequently desorbed from the sample holder (22) by a nitrogen laser (28) in a desorption region (26). The method of the invention is particularly amenable to multiplexing, the parallel deposition of multiple samples from an array of capillaries or microchip channels (24), with the subsequent sequential desorption by a scanning laser. This format is particularly useful for high throughput mass spectrometric analysis.
Abstract:
A coated microcapillary column for high performance electrophoresis is disclosed. A preferred microcapillary includes a column; a universal sub-layer of coating material that has been highly cross-linked using a cross-linking agent and attached covalently or non-covalently to the column wall; and a variable top layer of a monomer or polymer, preferably cross-linked, attached to the sub-layer. The microcapillary preferably is prepared by covalently bonding a highly cross-linked siloxanediol sub-layer to the inner surface of the microcapillary wall and then causing a mixture of monomers or polymers to react in the bore of the microcapillary to form a top layer. The bilayer coating as used in a microcapillary prevents adsorption of solutes during electrophoresis and eliminates or controls electroosmotic flow. The disclosed coating may also be formed on other kinds of surfaces where similar surface modification is desired. The sub-layer, which can be formed from other siloxane derivatives having two nucleophilic end groups, e.g., diamino or dithiol, may be used independently, or as a base layer for bilayer or even multilayer surface formation.
Abstract:
A subatmospheric, variable pressure sample delivery chamber (2), useful as an electrospray ionization device for introducing a sample into a mass spectrometer (9) or as a sample delivery device for delivery of a sample to a collection device (74) at subatmospheric pressures, is disclosed. The sample delivery chamber (2) is configured to maintain an operating pressure between 1 and 750 Torr, preferably between 50 and 700 Torr. The chamber has an inlet port (4) for introduction of a gas and an exit port (6) capable of being coupled either to a sampling orifice (8) for an analytical device, usually a mass spectrometer (9), or directly to a pump for removal of gas. A sample delivery device (22) extends from outside the chamber into the interior of the chamber (2). The inlet end (12) of the sample delivey device is capable of receiving a sample and the exit end of the sample delivery device (14) is aligned with the exit port (6) of the chamber, if the sample is to be delivered to an external analytical device, or aligned with the collection device (74), for direct collection of the sample.
Abstract:
A hybrid microfabricated substrate capillary array assembly, which provides an interface between the integrated channels (12) on a microfabricated substrate (10), e.g., microchip, and flexible capillaries (18), is disclosed. The hybrid device permits, e.g., convenient injection of samples from a capillary array (18) into channels (12) in a microchip (10) and also enables, e.g., convenient detection on the device by LIF (laser induced fluorescence). With the use of such an assembly, large numbers of samples may be processed simultaneously, leading to high-speed, high-throughput analyses.
Abstract:
A subatmospheric, variable pressure sample delivery chamber (2), useful as an electrospray ionization device for introducing a sample into a mass spectrometer (9) or as a sample device at subatmospheric pressures, is disclosed. The sample delivery chamber (2) is configured to maintain an operating pressure between 1 and 750 Torr, preferably between 50 and 700 Torr. The chamber has an inlet port (4) for introduction of a gas and an exit port (6) capable of being coupled either to a sampling orifice (8) for an analytical device, usually a mass spectrometer (9), or directly to a pump for removal of gas. A sample delivery device (22) is capable of receiving a sample and the exit port (6) of the chamber, if the sample is to be delivered to an external analytical device, or aligned with the collection device, for direct collection of the sample.
Abstract:
A microscale fluid handling system (10) that permits the efficient transfer of nanoliter to picoliter quantities of a fluid sample from the spatially concentrated environment of a microfabricated chip to 'off-chip' analytical or collection devices (23) for further off-chip sample manipulation and analysis is disclosed. The fluid handling system (10) is fabricated in the form of one or more channels (12), in any suitable format, provided in a microchip body or substrate of silica, polymer or other suitable non-conductive material, or of stainless steel, noble metal, silicon or other suitable conductive or semi-conductive material. The microchip fluid handling system (10) includes one or more exit ports (16) integral with the end of one or more of the channels (12) for consecutive or simultaneous off-chip analysis or collection of the sample. The exit port or ports (16) may be configured, for example, as an electrospray interface for transfer of a fluid sample to a mass spectrometer (23).
Abstract:
The disclosure relates to a method for resolving double-stranded DNA species differing by at least one base pair. Each of the species is characterized by an isomelting domain with a unique melting temperature contiguous with a melting domain of higher thermal stability.
Abstract:
The disclosure relates to a method for resolving double-stranded DNA species differing by at least one base pair. Each of the species is characterized by an isomelting domain with a unique melting temperature contiguous with a melting domain of higher thermal stability.
Abstract:
An electrospray system is disclosed. The electrospray system includes a microdevice (10) comprising wells (12), channels (16), and electrospray tips (14); an electro-pneumatic distributor (22) comprising channels (28) and electrodes (24); a supply block (36) comprising gas supply channel (34) and electric conductor (32); and a gasket (18) with holes (20). The distributor is suitable for simultaneous, selective application of pressure and electric current to individual channels of a microdevice.