Fluidic separation and detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029315-B2
Application number	US-201916377837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2019
Priority date	Nov 14, 2013
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Flow apparatuses comprising a separation channel, a downstream flow separator, a detection zone, an observation zone, and a waste channel. The separation channel has first and second flows in contact and allows lateral movement of components between contacting first and second flows. The downstream flow separator is in communication with the separation channel and diverts a part of the first fluid flow, the second fluid flow, or both, from the separation channel. The detection zone comprises a detection channel downstream of and in communication with the flow separator and configured to receive a plurality of diverted flows from the flow separator and a label channel configured to label the diverted flows from the flow separator. The observation zone is configured to record an analytical signal indicative of the quantity and the electrical properties of the component. The waste channel is at the downstream end of the observation zone.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flow apparatus for detecting a component in a mixture, the apparatus comprising:
a separation channel for containing first and second flows in contact, wherein the separation channel is configured to permit lateral movement of components between contacting first and second flows;
a flow separator positioned downstream of and in fluid communication with the separation channel, wherein the flow separator is configured to divert a part of the first fluid flow, a part of the second fluid flow, or parts of the first fluid flow and the second fluid flow, from the separation channel, and
a detection zone comprising:

a detection channel positioned downstream of and in fluid communication with the flow separator and configured to receive a plurality of diverted flows from the flow separator; and
a label channel configured to subsequently label the component in the diverted flows from the flow separator;
an observation zone configured to allow recordation of an analytical signal from each of the diverted flows to enable a comparison between the diverted flows; and
a reservoir for collecting flow output.

2. The flow apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir collects the flow output from the observation zone.

3. The flow apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir collects the non-diverted flow from the separation channel.

4. The flow apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising two or more microfluidic channels for introducing at least first and second flows into the separation channel.

5. The flow apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein three microfluidic channels are provided.

6. The flow apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the separation channel has a rectangular cross-section.

7. The flow apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the separation channel is configured to limit or prevent absorption of the component thereon.

8. The flow apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flow apparatus is configured to apply an electric field across the separation channel.

9. The flow apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the electric field causes the lateral movement of the component.

10. A method of analyzing a component, the method comprising the steps of: providing the component in a first fluid flow; contacting the first fluid flow with a second fluid flow to generate laminar flow including the component; applying a field to divert the component through the laminar flow; diverting a plurality of parts of the first fluid flow and the second fluid flow, wherein at least one of the diverted parts comprises the component; subsequently labelling the component in the diverted flows; and spectroscopically analyzing the diverted parts of the first fluid flow and/or the second fluid flow to obtain an analytical signal indicative of the UV fluorescence of the component in its native state.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of introducing at least the first and second fluid flows into the separation channel.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein three flows are introduced into the separation channel.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the three flows comprise the component flanked by sheaths of buffer.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second fluid flows are aqueous flows.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the component is a biomolecule.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the biomolecule is a protein.

17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the distribution of the component across the first and second fluid flows is non-uniform.

Assignees

• Cambridge Entpr Ltd

Inventors

• Yates Emma
• Dobson Christopher
• Herling Therese
• Knowles Tuomas Pertti Jonathan

Classifications

• G01N33/50 Primary

  Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing (measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms, compositions or test papers therefor; processes for forming such compositions, condition responsive control in microbiological or enzymological processes C12Q) · CPC title

• G01N27/447

  using electrophoresis · CPC title

• G01N15/0266

  with electrical classification · CPC title

• G01N2015/0038

  Investigating nanoparticles · CPC title

• G01N2015/0288

  Sorting the particles · CPC title