Micro Total Analysis Systems: Latest Achievements

摘要

The field of micro total analysis systems ((mu)TAS), or "lab on a chip", has continued to gain maturity. The importance of (mu)TAS is reflected in both the growing number and the improved quality of articles published on this topic. (mu)TAS touches on an incredibly diverse number of analytical chemistry applications and equally receives great input from a spectrum of scientific and engineering disciplines. In this sense, (mu)TAS is truly interdisciplinary in nature and has served as a focal point to bring together the different research fields. For an overview of the evolving field of (mu)TAS, readers are directed to the recent textbook by Paul Li (1). This review article aims to encapsulate the latest achievements in the field of (mu)TAS. In this review, we provide a snapshot of this interesting time by highlighting some of the very best research papers published in the two year period between March 2006 and February 2008. This review builds on the former reviews (2-5), and together these chart the development of (mu)TAS technologies this decade. By cross referencing online keyword searches we were able to find several thousand articles spread among a wide variety of journals, but most frequently found in the high impact journals of Analytical Chemistry and Lab on a Chip. The annual international (mu)TAS conference also served as a great source for some of the very latest and most promising developments. Recently the topic of lab on a chip was addressed in an excellent Nature Insight supplement (6). Here, outstanding articles can be found that focus on scaling effects (7), optofluidic technologies (8), single molecule detection (9), reaction control (10), cell chips (11), and diagnostics for global public health (12).