Patent ID: 8007724
Filing Date: 2011-08-30
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An electrophoresis apparatus, comprising: a transport passage; a first analyte concentrator including first affinity ligands which are attracted to a first analyte of interest; the first affinity ligands being immobilized to a surface within the first analyte concentrator; a first separation passage to convey the first analyte of interest from a sample introduced into the transport passage and concentrated by the first analyte concentrator at a first location of the transport passage to an analyte identification and characterization detection zone where the first analyte of interest can be identified and characterized; the first separation passage being communicable upstream of the first location with a buffer supply; a first auxiliary passage through which a separation buffer can be provided to the first separation passage, and positioned downstream of the first analyte concentrator and positionable upstream of the detection zone; a second analyte concentrator including second affinity ligands which are attracted to a second analyte of interest; the second affinity ligands being immobilized to a surface within the second analyte concentrator; a second separation passage to convey the second analyte of interest from the sample introduced into the transport passage and concentrated by the second analyte concentrator at a second location of the transport passage to the detection zone where the second analyte of interest can be identified and characterized; the second separation passage being communicable upstream of the second location with a separation or elution buffer supply; a second auxiliary passage through which a separation buffer can be provided to the second separation passage, and positioned downstream of the second analyte concentrator and positionable upstream of the detection zone; a valve system for respectively controlling the flow in the transport passage and in the first and second separation-passages and controlling flow of separation buffer from the first auxiliary passage to the first separation passage and from the second auxiliary passage to the second separation passage independently and sequentially; and a first auxiliary analyte concentrator on the first separation passage and downstream of the first analyte concentrator, the first auxiliary analyte concentrator having affinity ligands capable of retaining chromophores to bind the first analyte of interest released from the first analyte concentrator to improve the sensitivity and selectivity of the first analyte of interest once the first analyte of interest is released from the first auxiliary analyte concentrator into the first separation passage and towards the detection zone wherein the first auxiliary analyte concentrator is upstream of the first auxiliary passage; and a second auxiliary analyte concentrator on the second separation passage and downstream of the second analyte concentrator, the second auxiliary analyte concentrator having affinity ligands capable of retaining chromophores to bind the second analyte of interest released from the second analyte concentrator to improve the sensitivity and selectivity of the second analyte of interest once the second analyte of interest is released from the second auxiliary analyte concentrator into the second separation passage and towards the detection zone wherein the second auxiliary analyte concentrator is upstream of the second auxiliary passage.