Digital Microfluidic Sampler for a Portable Capillary Electropherograph

A new sample introduction/analysis approach was developed by combining a digital microfluidic (DMF) device with a portable capillary electrophoresis (CE) analyzer based on short separation capillary and contactless conductivity detection. The DMF sample injection was performed by transporting sample and buffer droplets in succession under the CE capillary inlet end allowing the capillary to be immersed into the sample/buffer droplet, and CE separation was performed by applying a high voltage between the (grounded) buffer droplet and CE outlet reservoir. Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) phenomenon was used for droplets actuation. With the use of the DMF sampler, CE separation of a mixture of vitamins was achieved. A droplet evaporation process with simultaneous concentration of sample in the droplet was monitored. It was found that the concentration process closely followed the theoretically predicted function.