Implementation of novel optical detection methods for clinically important blood analytes using microfabricated flow structures (T-Sensors)

摘要

T-Sensors enable the optical detection of clinically significant analytes directly in whole blood. In microfluidic channels, fluids usually show laminar behavior. This allows the movement of different fluidic layers in a channel without mixing other than by diffusion. A sample solution, a detection solution, and a reference solution are introduce din a common channel. Smaller particles such as ions or small proteins diffuse rapidly across the fluid boundaries, whereas larger molecules diffuse more slowly. Large particles show no significant diffusion within the time the flow streams are in contact. Two interface zones are formed between the fluidic layers. The ratio of a property of the two interface zones is a function of the concentration of the analyte. In this paper, we introduce a novel optical geometry to determine absorbance or fluorescence at a number of distinct wavelength ranges, and to perform spectroscopic measurements with 1D or 2D spatial. Resolution in a flow channel. A flow channel is coupled to an optical filter with variable transmission in one or two dimensions, a light source, and a CCD detector. Such a device allows, for example, the absorption- or fluorescence- based detection of a variety of analytes in a T-sensor using a non-color-sensitive spatial detector, while retaining diffusion and reference information provided by the T-sensor principle.