Patent ID: 7939249

Claim:
A method of separating nucleic acid from inhibitors in a sample, the method comprising: providing a microfluidic device comprising a valved process chamber, at least one additional chamber, and an axis of rotation; providing a sample comprising nucleic acid bound to beads and/or nucleic acid-containing material bound to beads, and inhibitors; placing the sample in the microfluidic device; positioning the sample in the valved process chamber; forming a concentrated region and a less concentrated region of the sample in the valved process chamber by rotating the microfluidic device about the axis of rotation, wherein the concentrated region of the sample comprises a majority of the beads with nucleic acid and/or nucleic acid-containing material bound thereto, and the less concentrated region comprises at least a portion of the inhibitors; and forming an opening in a valve septum of the valved process chamber at a desired location and rotating the microfluidic device to remove at least a portion of the less concentrated region of the sample and substantially separate the concentrated region from the less concentrated region of the sample thereby removing at least a portion of the inhibitors from the sample.