μBIOSEP Project
Fast and sensitive bioanalysis using micromachined electrospray interfaces with μ-scale separations
Applied research project of Czech-Norwegian consortium introducing miniaturized, highly efficient systems for bioanalyses of challenging samples
Project
Goals
Analysis of biomolecules plays a key role in the field of life sciences and the pharmaceutical industry. Since analytes are often present in complex samples, e.g., bodily fluids, hyphenated techniques such as liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis with electrospray ionization and mass spectrometry detection are used. Miniaturization generally provides highly efficient and economical analytical tools that are environmentally friendly. The introduction of the following systems thus represents the main goals of the μBIOSEP project:
1.
Micromachined Electrospray Ionization Interfaces
Currently, low flow electrospray ionization interfaces are only supplied by mass spectrometer producers as a part of instruments. The development of versatile electrospray ionization interfaces shall therefore provide platforms for efficient coupling of separation systems with mass spectrometry detection of various manufacturers, suitable for a wide range of applicational settings in the life and pharmaceutical sciences. The concept of the envisaged system is based on the principle of a liquid junction and utilization of very narrow (less than 5 μm) spraying channels characterized by extremely high ionization efficiency and minimum ion suppression.
2.
Miniaturized Recycling Liquid Chromatography System
A device enabling to recycle a sample repeatedly through a single standard analytical column shall provide a virtually unlimited increase of the separation efficiency. The principal concept is based on the Watrex Repetto® system which proved to be applicable on an analytical scale due to the location of the pump outside the separation circuit and minimal void volume of the unit. Under the optimal conditions, it is possible to reach peak efficiency in the order of hundreds of thousands of theoretical plates using the currently available system. Its miniaturization shall further increase the separation efficiency and throughput, and substantially reduce the consumption of chemicals and solvents.
Research
Group
Funding
The µBIOSEP project benefits from a 1.2 mil € grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic.
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TOUCH
Roman Řemínek
Principal Investigator
Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the CAS, v. v. i.
Veveří 967/97
602 00 Brno
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 532 290 105
Fax: +420 532 290 182