An implantable compound-releasing capsule triggered on demand by ultrasound

Implantable devices have a large potential to improve human health, but they are often made of biofouling materials that necessitate special coatings, rely on electrical connections for external communication, and require a continuous power source. This paper demonstrates an alternative platform, which we call iTAG (implantable thermally actuated gel), where an implanted capsule can be wirelessly controlled by ultrasound to trigger the release of compounds. We constructed a millimetersized capsule containing a co-polymer gel (NiPAAm-co-AAm) that contracts above body temperature (i.e. at 45°C) to release compounds through an opening. This gel-containing capsule is biocompatible and free of toxic electronic or battery components. An ultrasound hardware, with a focused ultrasound (FUS) transducer and a co-axial A-mode imaging transducer, was used to image the capsule (to monitor in real time its position, temperature, and effectiveness of dose delivery), as well as to trigger a rapid local rise in temperature, contraction of gel, and release of compounds in vitro and in vivo. The combination of this gel-based capsule and compact ultrasound hardware can serve as a platform for triggering local release of compounds, including potentially in deep tissue, to achieve tailored personalized therapy

Simultaneous Native UV Fluorescence and Absorbance Detection for Microchip electrophoresis using Integrated Waveguides.

This paper reports simultaneous detection of ultra violet (UV) absorbance and native UV-excited fluorescence in an electrophoresis microchip using UV transparent integrated waveguides. Absorbance detection enables detection of a wide range of analytes. When exposed to UV light, some compounds also exhibit native fluorescence, which is here detected simultaneously. Calibration curves were measured for serotonin, D-tryptophan and propanolol and separation of the three compounds was performed. All compounds could be detected by both methods, but with a lower limit of detection for native fluorescence

A cyclo olefin polymer microfluidic chip with integrated gold microelectrodes for aqueous ans non-aqueous electrochemistry

This paper presents an entirely polymeric microfluidic system, made of cyclo olefin polymer (COP), with integrated gold microband electrodes for electrochemical applications in organic media. In the present work, we take advantage of the COP's high chemical stability to polar organic solvents in two different ways: (i) to fabricate gold microelectrodes using COP as a substrate by standard lithographic and lift-off techniques; and (ii) to perform electrochemical experiments in organic media. In particular, fourteen parallel gold microelectrodes with a width of 14 microm and separated from their closest neighbour by 16 microm were fabricated by lithographic and lift-off techniques on a 188 microm thick COP sheet. A closed channel configuration was obtained by pressure-assisted thermal bonding between the COP sheet containing the microelectrodes and a microstructured COP sheet, where a 3 cm long, 50 microm wide and 24 microm deep channel was fabricated via hot embossing. Cyclic voltammetric measurements were carried out in aqueous and organic media, using a solution consisting of 5 mM ferrocyanide/ferricyanide in 0.5 M KNO(3) and 5 mM ferrocene in 0.1 M TBAP/acetonitrile, respectively. Experimental currents obtained for different flow rates ranging from 1 to 10 microL min(-1) were compared to the theoretical steady state currents calculated by the Levich equation for a band electrode (R. G. Compton, A. C. Fisher, R. G. Wellington, P. J. Dobson and P. A. Leigh, J. Phys. Chem., 1993, 97, 10410-10415). In both cases, the difference between the experimental and the predicted data is less than 5%, thus validating the behaviour of the fabricated device. This result opens the possibility to use a microfluidic system made entirely from COP with integrated microband electrodes in organic electroanalysis and in electrosynthesis

Sensor perfeccionado para la medida de la toxicidad del agua

La invención se basa en un sensor de medida para la toxidad del agua y consiste en una red de micro-electrodos recubiertos de una membrana y de un biofilm. La red de micro-electrodos puede ser estándar, y es posible su funcionamiento con un único electrodo, aunque ello acarrearía una perdida de sensibilidad. La membrana se usa para evitar la pasivación del electrodo por las bacterias presentes en el agua, y se utilizará en una de las realizaciones posibles "Nafion", aunque también es posible que el sensor trabaje sin membrana, pero ello iría en contra de un funcionamiento adecuado. Mediante la medida del oxígeno (relacionada con la respiración de las bacterias) se puede determinar la contaminación de las aguas, dado que la presencia de sustancias tóxicas inhibe la respiración de las bacterias

Dual Photonic-Electrochemical Lab on a Chip for Online Simultaneous Absorbance and Amperometric Measurements

A dual lab on a chip (DLOC) approach that enables simultaneous optical and electrochemical detection working in a continuous flow regime is presented. Both detection modes are integrated for the first time into a single detection volume and operate simultaneously with no evidence of cross-talk. The electrochemical cell was characterized amperometrically by measuring the current in ferrocyanide solutions at +0.4 V vs gold pseudoreference electrode, at a flow rate of 200 μL min^–1. The experimental results for ferrocyanide concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 2 mM were in good agreement with the values predicted by the Levich equation for a microelectrode inside a rectangular channel, with a sensitivity of 2.059 ± 0.004 μA mM^–1 and a limit of detection (LoD) of (2.303 ± 0.004) × 10^–3 mM. Besides, optical detection was evaluated by measuring the absorbance of ferricyanide solutions at 420 nm. The results obtained therein coincide with those predicted by the Beer–Lambert law for a range of ferricyanide concentrations from 0.005 to 0.3 mM and showed an estimated LoD of (0.553 ± 0.001) × 10^–3 mM. The DLOC was finally applied to the analysis of L-lactate via a bienzymatic reaction involving lactate oxidase (LOX) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Here, the consumption of the reagent of the reaction (ferrocyanide) was continuously monitored by amperometry whereas the product of the reaction (ferricyanide) was recorded by absorbance. The DLOC presented good performance in terms of sensitivity and limit of detection, comparable to other fluidic systems found in the literature. Additionally, the ability to simultaneously quantify enzymatic reagent consumption and product generation confers the DLOC a self-verifying capability which in turn enhances its robustness and reliability

Dual Photonic-Electrochemical Lab on a Chip for Online Simultaneous Absorbance and Amperometric Measurements

A dual lab on a chip (DLOC) approach that enables simultaneous optical and electrochemical detection working in a continuous flow regime is presented. Both detection modes are integrated for the first time into a single detection volume and operate simultaneously with no evidence of cross-talk. The electrochemical cell was characterized amperometrically by measuring the current in ferrocyanide solutions at +0.4 V vs gold pseudoreference electrode, at a flow rate of 200 μL min^–1. The experimental results for ferrocyanide concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 2 mM were in good agreement with the values predicted by the Levich equation for a microelectrode inside a rectangular channel, with a sensitivity of 2.059 ± 0.004 μA mM^–1 and a limit of detection (LoD) of (2.303 ± 0.004) × 10^–3 mM. Besides, optical detection was evaluated by measuring the absorbance of ferricyanide solutions at 420 nm. The results obtained therein coincide with those predicted by the Beer–Lambert law for a range of ferricyanide concentrations from 0.005 to 0.3 mM and showed an estimated LoD of (0.553 ± 0.001) × 10^–3 mM. The DLOC was finally applied to the analysis of L-lactate via a bienzymatic reaction involving lactate oxidase (LOX) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Here, the consumption of the reagent of the reaction (ferrocyanide) was continuously monitored by amperometry whereas the product of the reaction (ferricyanide) was recorded by absorbance. The DLOC presented good performance in terms of sensitivity and limit of detection, comparable to other fluidic systems found in the literature. Additionally, the ability to simultaneously quantify enzymatic reagent consumption and product generation confers the DLOC a self-verifying capability which in turn enhances its robustness and reliability

Cyclic olefin polymers: emerging materials for lab-on-a-chip applications

Cyclic olefin polymers (COPs) are increasingly popular as substrate material for microfluidics. This is due to their promising properties, such as high chemical resistance, low water absorption, good optical transparency in the near UV range and ease of fabrication. COPs are commercially available from a range of manufacturers under various brand names (Apel, Arton, Topas, Zeonex and Zeonor). Some of these (Apel and Topas) are made from more than one kind of monomer and therefore also known as cyclic olefin copolymers (COCs). In order to structure these materials, a wide array of fabrication methods is available. Laser ablation and micromilling are direct structuring methods suitable for fast prototyping, whilst injection moulding, hot embossing and nanoimprint lithography are replication methods more appropriate for low-cost production. Using these fabrication methods, a multitude of chemical analysis techniques have already been implemented. These include microchip electrophoresis (MCE), chromatography, solid phase extraction (SPE), isoelectric focusing (IEF) and mass spectrometry (MS). Still much additional work is needed to characterise and utilise the full potential of COP materials. This is especially true within optofluidics, where COPs are still rarely used, despite their excellent optical properties. This review presents a detailed description of the properties of COPs, the available fabrication methods and several selected applications described in the literature