Patent ID: 8703061
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: B01L,G01N

Abstract:
1. An integrated modular unit, comprising: a modular analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device attached to a support; a transport capillary or passage connected to the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device; a separation capillary or passage connected to the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device; the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device having inlet and outlet ends connected to the transport capillary or passage; the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device having inlet and outlet ends connected to the separation capillary or passage; the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device having an internal passage or channel with a staggered configuration which includes an elongated concentration area; the elongated concentration area of the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device serving as an intersection region where the transport capillary or passage and the separation capillary or passage connect at two separate and distant points to form an analyte concentrator-microreactor area; the elongated concentration area of the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device providing a place of shelter for received microstructures or a matrix assembly; one or more affinity ligands can be immobilized to the microstructures or the matrix assembly localized within the elongated concentration area of the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device for generating a concentration space where concentration of one or more analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart from a sample introduced into the transport capillary or passage occurs and/or for generating a microreaction space where microreaction of the one or more analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart from a sample introduced into the transport capillary or passage occurs; alternatively the one or more affinity ligands can be immobilized directly to an internal wall of a cavity or channel forming the elongated concentration area of the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device without the need of the microstructures or the matrix assembly; controlling means for independently controlling flow of the sample or buffers in the transport capillary or passage and past the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device and conveyed by electromigration, electro-osmotic flow, mechanical pressure or a combination of electro-osmotic flow and mechanical pressure to an outlet end of the transport capillary or passage, and for separately and independently controlling flow of a separation buffer supply, eluting buffer supply or cleaning buffer supply through the separation capillary or passage and past the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device and conveyed by electromigration, electro-osmotic flow, mechanical pressure or a combination of electro-osmotic flow and mechanical pressure to an outlet end of the separation capillary or passage; and an interchangeable cartridge-cassette detachably connected by couplers to the inlet and outlet ends of the separation capillary or passage, wherein the inlet and outlet ends of the separation capillary or passage connected to the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device form part of a continuous capillary piece creating an integrated affinity capture-separation and/or microreaction-separation cartridge-cassette modular unit and a detection system can be positioned in operation with a monitoring area of the separation capillary or passage; wherein the modular analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device can capture, isolate, concentrate and separate analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart bound to and released from the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device by alternating fluid communication of the separation buffer supply and then the eluting buffer supply and delivering the released analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart to the detection system of a capillary electrophoresis instrument or other analytical separation instrument separately, independently and sequentially by electromigration, electro-osmotic flow, mechanical pressure or a combination of electro-osmotic flow and mechanical pressure within the separation capillary or passage.