Integrated Microfluidic System Enabling (Bio)chemical Reactions with On-Line MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

• Published in: Analytical chemistry (Washington) Vol. 74; no. 16; pp. 3972 - 3976
• Main Authors: Brivio, Monica, Fokkens, Roel H, Verboom, Willem, Reinhoudt, David N, Tas, Niels R, Goedbloed, Martijn, van den Berg, Albert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15-08-2002
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Analytical chemistry; Base Sequence; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Microchemistry - instrumentation; Microchemistry - methods; Miscellaneous; Oligonucleotides - analysis; Online Systems; Peptides - analysis; Sequence Analysis; Spectrometric and optical methods; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; Spectrometry; Chemical analysis; Biochemical reaction; Chemical reaction; Time of flight spectrometer; Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization; Microfluid
• ISSN: 0003-2700; 1520-6882
• DOI: 10.1021/ac020185n

A continuous flow micro total analysis system (μ-TAS) consisting of an on-chip microfluidic device connected to a matrix assisted laser desorption ionization [MALDI] time-of-flight [TOF] mass spectrometer (MS) as an analytical screening system is presented. Reaction microchannels and inlet/outlet reservoirs were fabricated by powderblasting on glass wafers that were then bonded to silicon substrates. The novel lab-on-a-chip was realized by integrating the microdevice with a MALDI-TOFMS standard sample plate used as carrier to get the micro-fluidic device in the MALDI instrument. A novel pressure-driven pumping mechanism using the vacuum of the instrument as a driving force induces flow in the reaction microchannel in a self-activating way. Organic syntheses as well as biochemical reactions are carried out entirely inside the MALDI-MS ionization vacuum chamber and analyzed on-line by MALDI-TOFMS in real time. The effectiveness of the μ-TAS system has been successfully demonstrated with several examples of (bio)chemical reactions.