Integrated sample preparation systems for miniaturized biochemical analysis

Abstract

This work is focused on the development of miniaturized formats for integrated biochemical sample preparation. The formats discussed in this work include micromachined pipette arrays, a micro thermal field flow fractionation system, and a micro electrical field flow fractionation system. The micromachined pipette arrays are used for macro scale manipulation of pL-/spl mu/L volumes of samples/reagents and for interfacing with micro scale biochemical analysis systems. The micro thermal field flow fractionation system is a chromatographic separation technique for fractionating samples based on the heat capacity, thermal conductivity and size of the particles. The micro electrical field flow fractionation system fractionates samples based on the size and zeta potential of the sample constituents. Electrical and thermal micro FFF systems are capable of separating samples with constituents in the diameter range from approximately 1 nm to 1 /spl mu/m. In each case, the need for mechatronics technologies is demonstrated for manipulation and placement of the biochemical samples being delivered to/from these preparation systems.