A miniaturized, low-cost lens tube based laser-induced fluorescence detection system for automated microfluidic analysis of primary amines.

In situ analyses are essential to ascertain potential past or present habitability in celestial bodies. One technique that provides the sensitivity and miniaturization needed to successfully detect trace organics in the outer Solar System is laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection, which, when coupled with microfluidic systems, provides a powerful wet chemistry platform that can meet the size and resource consumption constraints of a remote analysis mission. Herein, a portable LIF detection module (44-mm long, 18-mm wide) was prototyped and utilized to quantify bulk organics in a liquid sample via manual and automated analysis utilizing a programmable microfluidic architecture.

A modular, easy-to-use microcapillary electrophoresis system with laser-induced fluorescence for quantitative compositional analysis of trace organic molecules.

Microcapillary electrophoresis (μCE) enables high-resolution separations in miniaturized, automated microfluidic devices. Pairing this powerful separation technique with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) enables a highly sensitive, quantitative, and compositional analysis of organic molecule monomers and short polymers, which are essential, ubiquitous components of life on Earth. Improving methods for their detection has applications to multiple scientific fields, particularly those related to medicine, industry, and space science.

A practical guide to rapid-prototyping of PDMS-based microfluidic devices: A tutorial.

Micro total analytical systems (μTAS) are attractive to multiple fields that include chemistry, medicine and engineering due to their portability, low power usage, potential for automation, and low sample and reagent consumption, which in turn results in low waste generation. The development of fully-functional μTAS is an iterative process, based on the design, fabrication and testing of multiple prototype microdevices. Typically, microfabrication protocols require a week or more of highly-skilled personnel time in high-maintenance cleanroom facilities, which makes this iterative process cost-prohibitive in many locations worldwide.

Class specific discrimination of volatile organic compounds using a quartz crystal microbalance based multisensor array.

The use of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor arrays for analyses of volatile organic compounds (VOC) has attracted significant interest in recent years. In this regard, a group of uniformed materials based on organic salts (GUMBOS) has proven to be promising recognition elements in QCM based sensor arrays due to diverse properties afforded by this class of tunable materials. Herein, we examine the application of four novel phthalocyanine based GUMBOS as recognition elements for VOC sensing using a QCM based multisensor array (MSA).

Rational Design of QCM-D Virtual Sensor Arrays Based on Film Thickness, Viscoelasticity, and Harmonics for Vapor Discrimination.

Herein, we demonstrate an alternative strategy for creating QCM-based sensor arrays by use of a single sensor to provide multiple responses per analyte. The sensor, which simulates a virtual sensor array (VSA), was developed by depositing a thin film of ionic liquid, either 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([OMIm][Br]) or 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([OMIm][SCN]), onto the surface of a QCM-D transducer. The sensor was exposed to 18 different organic vapors (alcohols, hydrocarbons, chlorohydrocarbons, nitriles) belonging to the same or different homologous series.