Microfluidic titration apparatus
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for titration, comprising:
- a body member having;
a first orifice defining a fluid sample inlet port into the body;
a plurality of microfluidic channels, each channel communicating at a first end with the sample inlet port;
a plurality of titration chambers, each fluidly communicating with a microfluidic channel and each fluidly communicating with an air management port; and
each titration chamber in the plurality contains a titrant, wherein the concentration of the titrant in any one chamber in the plurality is different from the concentration of the titrant in the remaining chambers.
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Abstract
The illustrated invention defines an analytical titration chip comprising an optically transparent substrate such as glass or plastic that defines a fluid inlet port, plural microfluidic sample carrying channels communicating with the inlet, and plural titration chambers fluidly communicating with the channels. Each titration chamber contains a different concentration of the same titrant to define a spectrum or range of titrations. An air management chamber is in fluid communication with the titration chambers to facilitate capillary flow of fluid into the titration chambers.
51 Citations
42 Claims
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1. Apparatus for titration, comprising:
a body member having;
a first orifice defining a fluid sample inlet port into the body;
a plurality of microfluidic channels, each channel communicating at a first end with the sample inlet port;
a plurality of titration chambers, each fluidly communicating with a microfluidic channel and each fluidly communicating with an air management port; and
each titration chamber in the plurality contains a titrant, wherein the concentration of the titrant in any one chamber in the plurality is different from the concentration of the titrant in the remaining chambers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of titrating a fluid for a predetermined chemical attribute, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a microfluidic chip having a plurality of titration chambers, each having a known concentration of titrant for titrating the fluid for the predetermined chemical attribute and such that the plurality of titration chambers define a graduated range of concentrations of the titrant;
(b) introducing a fluid into an inlet in the chip;
(c) inducing a flow of the fluid by capillarity from the inlet through a plurality of fluid pathways in the chip, each of the fluid pathways communicating with a titration chamber, and allowing the fluid to fill each titration chamber;
(d) allowing the fluid to react with the titrant in each titration chamber;
(e) observing the titration chambers and identifying the titration chambers where a color change has occurred and the titration chambers where no color change has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of determining the end point of a titration, comprising the steps of:
(a) in a microfluidic chip having plural titration chambers, introducing a sample fluid into each titration chamber and reacting the fluid in each titration chamber with titrant to complete a separate titration in each of the titration chambers. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A microfluidic titration chip, comprising:
an optically transparent member defining a fluid inlet, a plurality of microfluidic channels within the substrate connected to the inlet, a plurality of titration chambers within the substrate, each titration chamber connected to microfluidic channel, and an air management chamber connected to each titration chamber to facilitate capillary flow of a fluid from the fluid inlet to the titration chamber. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of making a microfluidic titration chip, comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming in an optically transparent substrate;
a fluid inlet;
plural internal microfluidic channels in fluid communication with the inlet; and
plural internal titration chambers, each chamber in the plurality in fluid communication with a microfluidic channel;
(b) depositing in each successive titration chamber in the plurality a concentration of titrant that is greater than the concentration of titrant in the preceding titration chamber. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A titration analysis chip, comprising:
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a substrate member having an inlet port;
plural microfluidic channels communicating with the inlet port;
at least one titration chamber means in each microfluidic channel for performing a titration of a sample in the titration chamber means; and
air management means communicating with each titration chamber means for facilitating capillary flow of fluid from the inlet to the titration chamber; and
wherein the substrate member is at least partly optically transparent so that color changes occurring in the titration chamber means may be detected. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of titrating, comprising the steps of:
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(a) in a microfluidic chip having plural titration chambers with a different concentration of titrant in each of the titration chambers, (i) introducing a sample into each titration chamber, and (ii) simultaneously reacting the fluid in each titration chamber with the titrant to simultaneously titrate the sample in each of the titration chambers; and
(b) determining in which of the titration chambers a color change has occurred and in which of the titration chambers no color change has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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Specification