Abstract:
Microfluidic droplet arrays are an emerging class of lab-on-chip systems which are being
explored for multitudes of applications such as high throughput screening of cells,
chemical synthesis, colorimetric detection of various substituents, etc. The main
advantage of microfluidic droplet arrays is that, when wetted with liquid, it offers
separate reactor wells of liquid on a very small platform which can then be readily used
to perform different reactions simultaneously.
Biological fluids contain various analytes like proteins, glucose, urea, bilirubin,
urobilinogen, adrenaline, etc whose levels are rigorously controlled by the body for its
normal functioning. But the abnormal levels of such analytes can prove to be an early
indication of presence of many diseases and determination of these concentrations may
very well lead to a diagnosis of a particular disease. The determination of concentrations
of such analytes can be done using bio-assays which react with a particular analyte and
produce a distinguish colour. The intensity of the colour formed is directly proportional
to the concentration of the analyte and can be easily determined spectrophotometrically.
In this project, we wanted to explore the possibility to combine the idea of employing
microfluidic droplet arrays for performing bio-assays for various analytes of biological
fluids simultaneously.
-4. For this purpose, we prepared and studied a system containing droplets microarrays of
various analytes on Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate (HEMA) - Ethylene dimethacrylate
(EDMA) polymer surface and their respective bioassays printed on fluorinated glass
slides in the form of spots. These two were stamped together to realise the transfer of
bioassays from fluorinated glass slide into the individual droplet for further reaction
giving the desired colour change.
