Lee Ulri N, Berthier Jean, Yu Jiaquan, Berthier Erwin, Theberge Ashleigh B
Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
Biomed Microdevices. 2019 Feb 12;21(1):16. doi: 10.1007/s10544-019-0367-z.
We present an open microfluidic platform that enables stable flow of an organic solvent over an aqueous solution. The device features apertures connecting a lower aqueous channel to an upper solvent compartment that is open to air, enabling easy removal of the solvent for analysis. We have previously shown that related open biphasic systems enable steroid hormone extraction from human cells in microscale culture and secondary metabolite extraction from microbial culture; here we build on our prior work by determining conditions under which the system can be used with extraction solvents of ranging polarities, a critical feature for applying this extraction platform to diverse classes of metabolites. We developed an analytical model that predicts the limits of stable aqueous-organic interfaces based on analysis of Laplace pressure. With this analytical model and experimental testing, we developed generalized design rules for creating stable open microfluidic biphasic systems with solvents of varying densities, aqueous-organic interfacial tensions, and polarities. The stable biphasic interfaces afforded by this device will enable on-chip extraction of diverse metabolite structures and novel applications in microscale biphasic chemical reactions.
我们展示了一个开放的微流控平台，该平台能够使有机溶剂在水溶液上稳定流动。该装置的特点是有一些小孔，将下部的水相通道与上部通向空气的溶剂隔室相连，便于去除溶剂进行分析。我们之前已经表明，相关的开放双相系统能够从微尺度培养的人类细胞中提取类固醇激素，并从微生物培养物中提取次生代谢产物；在此，我们基于之前的工作，确定了该系统可与不同极性的萃取溶剂一起使用的条件，这是将此萃取平台应用于各类代谢物的关键特性。我们开发了一个分析模型，该模型基于拉普拉斯压力分析来预测稳定水 - 有机界面的极限。通过这个分析模型和实验测试，我们制定了通用的设计规则，用于创建具有不同密度、水 - 有机界面张力和极性的溶剂的稳定开放微流控双相系统。该装置提供的稳定双相界面将能够在芯片上萃取各种代谢物结构，并在微尺度双相化学反应中实现新的应用。
