Patent ID: 8592219

Claim:
A method for the preparation of a liquid sample and transport thereof in a microfluidic device having a microfluidic transport conduit connected to a reaction microcavity, wherein the microfluidic transport conduit has an inner surface and is made from metal or plastics, the method which comprises providing a biologically derived liquid sample containing a reactant being a bioorganic compound exhibiting hydrophobic groups and/or charged groups and which is capable of interacting with the inner surface of the microfluidic transport conduit; diluting the liquid sample with a buffer containing an amphiphilic macromolecular substance selected from caseins which is capable of attaching to the inner surface of the microfluidic transport conduit and which is not natively present in the liquid sample; dispensing the diluted sample to the microfluidic transport conduit of the microfluidic device; and applying a driving force for transporting the sample through the microfluidic transport conduit to the reaction microcavity, wherein the amphiphilic macromolecular substance minimizes interaction between the reactant and the inner surface of the microfluidic transport conduit and thereby minimizes loss of reactant during the transport to the reaction microcavity.