Patent ID: 8764956

Claim:
A method of electrochemically regulating the pH of a fluid in the microfluidic device, the microfluidic device comprising; an ion-exchange material, an anode chamber having a surface defined by a surface of the ion-exchange material and an anode electrode disposed along an edge of the surface of the anode chamber, and a cathode chamber having a surface defined by an opposite surface of the ion-exchange material and a cathode electrode disposed along an edge of the surface of the cathode chamber, the method comprising: introducing a solution containing ions with a lower or higher standard oxidation potential than water in an anode chamber; introducing a solution containing ions with a lower standard reduction potential than water in a cathode chamber; and applying current to electrodes included in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber to cause electrolysis in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber and accordingly regulate the pH of the solution introduced to the anode chamber and the cathode chamber.