Patent ID: 8865075
Filing Date: 2014-10-21
Classification: B01L,G01N

Abstract:
1. A portable and interchangeable box, comprising: a modular analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device surrounded by four microvalves, each microvalve secured to an inside base of the box by support members, said box is mounted peripherally on a side wall or support platform of a capillary electrophoresis instrument or other analytical separation instrument through one or more fastening members; 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 a first set of inlet and outlet ends connected to the transport capillary or passage; the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device having a second set of 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; 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 are 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 the sample introduced into the transport capillary or passage occurs; alternatively the one or more affinity ligands are immobilized directly to an inner 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; and controlling means for 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 controlling flow of buffers or solutions 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; wherein inlet and outlet ends of the separation capillary or passage connected to the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device are detachably connected by couplers to corresponding inlet and outlet ends of a separation capillary or passage of the capillary electrophoresis apparatus, the analytical separation instrument and/or a detector, creating an integrated unit; wherein the integrated unit can capture, isolate, concentrate, allow microreactions, and separate released 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 a separation buffer supply and then an eluting buffer supply and delivering the released analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart to the capillary electrophoresis instrument, analytical separation instrument and/or detector 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.