The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 30, 2013
Filed:
Jun. 18, 2010
Robert Kennedy, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Jian Pei, Agoura Hills, CA (US);
Qiang LI, Saginaw, MI (US);
Mike S. Lee, Newtown, PA (US);
Gary A. Valaskovic, Cambridge, MA (US);
Robert Kennedy, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Jian Pei, Agoura Hills, CA (US);
Qiang Li, Saginaw, MI (US);
Mike S. Lee, Newtown, PA (US);
Gary A. Valaskovic, Cambridge, MA (US);
The Regents of The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
Droplets or plugs within multiphase microfluidic systems have rapidly gained interest as a way to manipulate samples and chemical reactions on the femtoliter to microliter scale. Chemical analysis of the plugs remains a challenge. It has been discovered that nanoliter plugs of sample separated by air or oil can be analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry when pumped directly into a fused silica nanospray emitter nozzle. Using leu-enkephalin in methanol and 1% acetic acid in water (50:50 v:v) as a model sample, we found carry-over between plugs was <0.1% and relative standard deviation of signal for a series of plugs was 3%. Detection limits were 1 nM. Sample analysis rates of 0.8 Hz were achieved by pumping 13 nL samples separated by 3 mm long air gaps in a 75 μm inner diameter tube. Analysis rates were limited by the scan time of the ion trap mass spectrometer. The system provides a robust, rapid, and information-rich method for chemical analysis of sample in segmented flow systems.