Microfluidic dual picoinjection based encapsulation of hemoglobin in alginate microcapsules reinforced by a poly(L-lysine)--poly(ethylene glycol).

Hemoglobin (Hb) encapsulation inside polysaccharide hydrogels has been considered a possible red blood cell (RBC) surrogate in transfusiology. Here we report on the microfluidic dual picoinjection assisted synthesis of Hb encapsulated alginate-poly(L-lysine)--poly(ethylene glycol) beads. This process is realized by the on-chip injections of blended Hb alginate solutions in emulsified aqueous calcium chloride (CaCl) droplets followed by a subsequent injection of an aqueous PLL--PEG into each emulsified aqueous droplet. The proposed fabrication approach was realized using a flow-focusing and two picoinjection sites in a single PDMS device. Aqueous CaCl solution was emulsified and infused with Hb-alginate solution as the squeezed droplet passed through the first picoinjection site. The injection of PLL--PEG to reinforce the microgel and minimize the protein leaching was realized in the second picoinjection site located downstream from the first in the same microfluidic channel. In this process, monodisperse Hb-alginate-PLL--PEG particles with a diameter around the size of RBCs (9 μm) were obtained with around 80% of the 7.5 mg ml Hb included in the injected aqueous alginate retaining in the obtained microparticles. Microparticles with Hb loading (32.8 pg per bead) and retention (28.8 pg per bead) over a week of storage at 4 °C are in accordance with the average amount of Hb per RBC. The Hb-alginate-PLL--PEG microbeads fabricated in the size range of RBCs are significant for further exploration.