Abstract
Presented here is the fabrication and characterization of a tunable microfluidic check valve for use in marine nutrient sensing. The ball-style valve makes use of a rare-earth permanent magnet, which exerts a pulling force to ensure it remains passively sealed until the prescribed cracking pressure is met. By adjusting the position of the magnet, the cracking pressure is shown to be customizable to meet design requirements. Further applicability is shown by integrating the valve into a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) lab-on-chip device with an integrated optical absorbance cell for nitrite detection in seawater. Micro-milling is used to manufacture both the valve and the micro-channel structures. The valve is characterized up to a flow rate of 14 mL min−1 and exhibits low leakage rates at high back pressures (<2 µL min−1 at ~350 kPa). It is low cost, requires no power, and is easily implemented on microfluidic platforms.
Highlights
Microfluidic devices have obtained global relevance since their initial application in miniaturized separation and chromatographic instrumentation [1]
The background nitrite concentration gradually increased between runs as expected, given the amount of added nitrite
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Summary
Microfluidic devices have obtained global relevance since their initial application in miniaturized separation and chromatographic instrumentation [1]. The small, low-cost, power efficient nature of microfluidic analysis platforms have even been used for in situ ocean nutrient sensors in recent years [5,6]. Their potential to do automated and low-volume measurements at high pressures [7,8] makes them amenable for sensor deployment in deep ocean environments. Reliable fluid handling remains a core development area in establishing higher levels of integration on microfluidic devices. This is typically accomplished with specialized micro-valves and micro-pumps [9,10]
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