Contactless Conductivity Detection System Research Articles

Single-chip based contactless conductivity detection system for multi-channel separations.

In this work, the design and characterization of a multi-cell capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection system are described. The operation and simultaneous acquisition from 3 detector cells are demonstrated, however, the system is capable of supplying 8 detection cells and can be easily upgraded to maintain 64 capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection cells. On performing flow-injection analysis, the system recorded as low as 0.01 mM of acetic acid, phosphoric acid, NaH2PO4, and Na2B4O7 solutions in water. The instrument was also capable of recording and distinguishing different mixtures of organic solvents: (a) methanol-acetonitrile, (b) hexane-acetone. The designed detection system is expected to be used coupled with multi-channel separation devices for monitoring simultaneous processes.

Portable automated handheld sample collection-preparation instrument for airborne volatile substances

The development of the instrument which will significantly ease the in situ samplings of volatile compounds is described. The purpose of this work was to design an automated, portable, handheld sample collection device that operates with monolithic adsorbents. The sampler contains two lithium-ion batteries, collects samples into micro-liter range volume vials, is supplied with a changeable 100 µm inner diameter six cm long capillary with an in-tube monolithic solid-phase micro-extraction adsorbent. Modeling experiments with triethylamine and diethylamine demonstrated that instrument captured samples containing volatile substances in the range of 3.5 to 118 ppm concentration levels in the air. The substances have been analyzed using a dedicated capillary electrophoresis contactless conductivity detection system and determined amounts of volatile substances in the sample solutions ranged between 3.4 and 1010 µM. Only 0.44 mL of air was enough to adsorb substances on the adsorbent, collecting them into 50 µL of water and achieving a preconcentration effect. The developed instrument is expected to find it’s applications where sampled air or gas volume is in µL – mL range: (a) collection of volatile substances near single plant parts in vivo, (b) collection of beetle pheromones in vivo, (c) volume-restricted machinery and other related applications.

A sensitive photochemical reaction-capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection system for HPLC and its application in determination of Cyclosporin A

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) post-column photochemical reaction (PR) coupled capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector (C4D) was used for the first time in analysis of weak ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing, non-fluorescence and nonpolar compound. A series of conditions including the radiation power of light source, the length of the reaction tube and the thickness of detection tube were investigated. HPLC-PR-C4D system was successfully applied to the determination of Cyclosporin A (CsA). Consequently, under optimal conditions, the detection system exhibited a detection limit of 0.04 μg/mL and wide linear range from 0.5 μg/mL to 100 μg/mL for CsA detection. Application of the HPLC-PR- C4D system to pharmaceutical formulation and biological samples revealed the system developed maybe reliably applied to clinical studies.

Separation of carbohydrates on electrophoresis microchips with controlled electrolysis.

This study reports the separation of fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose and sucrose on glass microchip electrophoresis (ME) devices using a microfluidic platform adapted with external reservoirs for controlling the electrolysis phenomenon. The connections between external reservoirs and microfluidic platform were performed by saline bridges created using silicone tubing filled with BGE. The separation conditions were optimized and the best results were achieved using a BGE containing 75 mmol/L NaOH and 15 mmol/L trisodium phosphate. Electrophoretic separations were monitored using a capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection system. The controlled electrolysis has successfully allowed the application of a higher voltage on the separation channel promoting the baseline separation of five carbohydrates within 180 s with great run-to-run repeatability (RSD < 1%). The achieved efficiencies ranged from 45 000 ±6000 to 70 000 ±3000 plates/m demonstrating a performance better than ME devices without controlled electrolysis. The proposed system offered good linearity from 1 to 10 mmol/L and LODs between 150 and 740 μmol/L. The use of external tubes for controlling the electrolysis phenomenon on ME devices has solved common problems associated to run-to-run repeatability and analytical reliability required for routine and quantitative analysis.

Rapid Detection of AGs using Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis Contactless Conductivity Detection

Background: In order to realize current aminoglycosides supervision in food and environment, our team improved the sensitivity and separation efficiency of the portable ITO detector, based on the technology of microchip capillary electrophoresis and contactless conductivity detection. Experiment: Parameters (the separation voltage, buffer concentration, electrodes gap, elicitation frequency, elicitation voltage) were optimized for the detection of three aminoglycosides, gentamicin, kanamycin and streptomycin and the separation of their mixture in background electrolyte consists of 2-(N-Morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid (MES) and L-Histidine (His). The enhanced method was also applied to other types of aminoglycosides. Results: Under optimal conditions, the monitoring of three types of aminoglycosides obtained such a sensitive response that the limits of detection of gentamicin sulfate, kanamycin sulfate and streptomycin sulfate were calculated as 3.1 µg/ml, 0.89 µg/ml and 0.96 µg/ml, at signal-to-noise ratio 3, respectively. In addition they got separated completely from each other only in 40 s. The results of other varieties of aminoglycosides including tobramycin sulfate and amikacin sulfate also met the standard. Conclusion: We successfully proposed here an unprecedentedly portable, miniaturized and rapid microchip capillary electrophoresis contactless conductivity detection system to realize current aminoglycosides supervision in food and environment.

Simple, rapid and, cost‐effective fabrication of PDMS electrophoresis microchips using poly(vinyl acetate) as photoresist master

This study describes a simple, rapid, and cost-effective fabrication of PDMS electrophoresis microchips using poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) emulsion as photoresist master. High-relief microfluidic structures were defined on poly(vinyl acetate) previously deposited on printed circuit boards surfaces without cleanroom facilities and sophisticated instrumentation. After a UV exposure, channels with heights ranging from 30 to 140 μm were obtained by controlling the emulsion mass deposited on the master surface. The developing stage was performed using water rather than the organic solvents that are applied for conventional masks. The surface morphology was characterized by optical imaging, profilometry, and SEM. Based on the achieved results, the proposed method offers suitable reproducibility for the prototyping of electrophoresis microchips in PDMS. The feasibility of the resulting PDMS electrophoresis chips was successfully demonstrated with the separation of major inorganic cations within 100 s using a contactless conductivity detection system. The separation efficiencies ranged from ca. 67900 to 125600 plates/m. Due to the satisfactory performance and simplified instrumentation, we believe this fabrication protocol presents potential to be implemented in any chemical, biochemical, or biological laboratory.

Real-time monitoring of strand-displacement DNA amplification by a contactless electrochemical microsystem using interdigitated electrodes

This paper reports the design and implementation of a contactless conductivity detection system which combines a thermal control cell, a data processing system and an electrochemical (EC) cell for label-free isothermal nucleic acid amplification and real-time monitoring. The EC cell consists of a microchamber and interdigitated electrodes as the contactless conductivity biosensor with a cover slip as insulation. In our work, contactless EC measurements, the effects of trehalose on amplification, and chip surface treatment are investigated. With the superior performance of the biosensor, the device can detect the amount of pure DNA at concentrations less than 0.1 pg μl(-1). The EC cell, integrated with a heater and a temperature sensor, has successfully implemented nicking-based strand-displacement amplification at an initial concentration of 2.5 μM and the yields are monitored directly (dismissing the use of probes or labels) on-line. This contactless detector carries important advantages: high anti-interference capability, long detector life, high reusability and low cost. In addition, the small size, low power consumption and portability of the detection cell give the system the potential to be highly integrated for use in field service and point of care applications.

Characterization of a capacitance-coupled contactless conductivity detection system with sidewall electrodes on a low-voltage-driven electrophoresis microchip

A new type of capacitance-coupled contactless conductivity detection (C(4)D) system with sidewall electrodes was proposed for integration on a silicon-on-isolator-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (SOI-PDMS) hybrid low-voltage-driven electrophoresis microchip. By a microelectromechanical system process, the sidewall electrodes were fabricated precisely at either side of the separation channel. The area of the capacitor electrodes was the maximum value to improve the detection sensitivity with an enhanced capacitance effect. According to the simulation results, the structural parameters of the sidewall electrodes were determined as 550-microm length, 15-microm width, 80-microm separation distance, and 1-microm isolator thickness. The integrated microdevice with the SOI-PDMS hybrid electrophoresis microchip was very compact and the size was only 15 cm x 15 cm x 10 cm (width x length x height), which permitted miniaturization and portability. The detector performance was evaluated by K(+) testing. The detection limit of the conductivity detector was determined to be 10(-9) and 10(-6) M for K(+) in the static and electric-driven modes, respectively. Finally, the C(4)D was applied to low-voltage-driven electrophoresis on a microchip to carry out real-time measurement of the separation of amino acids. The separations of 10(-4) M lysine and phenylalanine in the low-voltage-driven electrophoresis mode were performed with an electric field of 300 V/cm and were completed in less than 15 min with a resolution of 1.3. The separation efficiency was found to be 1.3 x 10(3) and 2.8 x 10(3) plates for lysine and phenylalanine, respectively, with a migration time reproducibility of 2.7 and 3.2%. The conductivity detection limit of amino acids achieved was 10(-6) M. The proposed method for the construction of a novel C(4)D integrated on an SOI-PDMS hybrid low-voltage-driven electrophoresis microchip showed the most extensive integration and miniaturization of a microdevice, which is a further crucial step toward the realization of the "lab-on-a-chip" concept.

Compact Design for a Square Wave Excitation Contactless Conductivity Detector: Determination of Metal Cations in Environmental Water Samples

A compact and inexpensive contactless conductivity detection (CCD) based on a square wave excitation voltage, was implemented by integrating the function generator, detective cell, and detective circuit on a printed circuit board with a size of 100 mm length and 50 mm width, and it exhibited excellent sensitivity at the optimal frequency of 198 kHz. The separation for 13 metal ions was demonstrated by optimizing some most significant concentration factors, such as the concentration of 2‐(N‐morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid/DL‐histidine (MES/His), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and α‐hydroxyisobutyric acid (HIBA). Under the optimized condition of 15 mM MES/His, 0.02 mM CTAB, and 0.5 mM HIBA, the detection limits were in the range of 0.9∼5 µM for K+, Ba2+, Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, Mn2+, and Li+; 7∼25 µM for Pb2+, Cd2+, Zn2+, Co2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+. This CCD was further used to determine the metal cations in the real samples, such as tap water and low pH galvanic bath rinse water, and the results demonstrated that this CCD system was feasible for analysis of ions in an environmental sample.

Movable contactless-conductivity detector for microchip capillary electrophoresis.

A new movable contactless-conductivity detection system for microchip capillary electrophoresis is introduced. Such a versatile system relies on positioning the detector at different points along the separation channel via "sliding" the electrode holder. The new movable microchip detection system offers distinct improvements compared to common fixed-location conductivity detectors. For example, placing the detector at different locations along the microchannel offers useful insights into the separation process. Three-dimensional plots of resolution/channel length/separation voltage can be used for optimizing the separation process and selecting the analysis time. The system enables rapid switching between "total" (unresolved) and "individual" (resolved/fingerprint) signals on the basis of placing the detector at the beginning and end of the separation channel, respectively. By moving the detector to a shorter effective separation length, after eluting fast-migrating ions, shorter analysis times can be achieved (through faster detection of late-eluting analytes). These and other improvements in the analytical performance and insights into the separation process are illustrated in connection with the detection of low-energy ionic explosives and nerve agent degradation products.

Contactless Conductivity Detector for Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis: Fast Measurements of Explosives and Explosive Residues

INTRODUCTION Improvised explosives have been used in recent terrorist bombing activities. These home-made explosives generates significant amount of inorganic ions, such as ammonium, methylammonium, potassium, sodium, perchlorate, chloride or nitrate. Such explosives and explosive residues are frequently analyzed using ion-chromatography (IC) or capillary electrophoresis (CE) systems. However, these laboratory-based methods are not field portable, nor can they analyze relevant samples within extremely short (<30 sec) time scales. Therefore, fast-responding field-deployable analytical systems are desired for monitoring ionic (“low-energy”) explosives at the sample source. Lab-on-a-chip technology offers great possibility for obtaining the desired forensic information in a faster, simpler, and cheaper manner compared to traditional laboratory-based instruments. This paper describes a microchip capillary electrophoresis with an integrated contactless conductivity detection system in connection to a low-energy explosives detection. The new contactless conductivity microchip detector is based on placing two planar sensing aluminum-film electrodes on the outer side of a microchip (without contacting the solution) and measuring the impedance of the solution in the separation channel. The contactless route obviates problems (i.e., fouling, unwanted reactions) associated with the electrode-solution contact, offers isolation of the detection system from high separation fields, and greatly simplifies the detector fabrication. Relevant experimental variables, such as the frequency and amplitude of the applied ac voltage were examined and optimized. The detector performance was illustrated by the separation of low-explosive ionic components, such as the potassium, sodium, ammonium and methylammonium cations and the nitrate, perchlorate and chloride anions.

Contactless conductivity detector for microchip capillary electrophoresis.

A microfabricated electrophoresis chip with an integrated contactless conductivity detection system is described. The new contactless conductivity microchip detector is based on placing two planar sensing aluminum film electrodes on the outer side of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microchip (without contacting the solution) and measuring the impedance of the solution in the separation channel. The contactless route obviates problems (e.g., fouling, unwanted reactions) associated with the electrode-solution contact, offers isolation of the detection system from high separation fields, does not compromise the separation efficiency, and greatly simplifies the detector fabrication. Relevant experimental variables, such as the frequency and amplitude of the applied ac voltage or the separation voltage, were examined and optimized. The detector performance was illustrated by the separation of potassium, sodium, barium, and lithium cations and the chloride, sulfate, fluoride, acetate, and phosphate anions. The response was linear (over the 20 microM-7 mM range) and reproducible (RSD = 3.4-4.9%; n = 10), with detection limits of 2.8 and 6.4 microM (for potassium and chloride, respectively). The advantages associated with the contactless conductivity detection, along with the low cost of the integrated PMMA chip/detection system, should enhance the power and scope of microfluidic analytical devices.