Liquid and gel electrodes for transverse free flow electrophoresis
AssigneesLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsByoungsok Jung, Klint A. Rose, Maxim Shusteff, Alexandre Persat, Juan Santiago
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Abstract
The present invention provides a mechanism for separating or isolating charged particles under the influence of an electric field without metal electrodes being in direct contact with the sample solution. The metal electrodes normally in contact with the sample are replaced with high conductivity fluid electrodes situated parallel and adjacent to the sample. When the fluid electrodes transmit the electric field across the sample, particles within the sample migrate according to their electrophoretic mobility.
Claims10
An electrophoresis apparatus for separating particles in a flowing liquid sample, comprising:
- a microchip;
- a chamber in said microchip, said chamber having a first chamber wall and a second chamber wall wherein said flowing liquid sample is between said first chamber wall and said second chamber wall;
- a first reservoir containing a first conductive liquid;
- a first metal electrode in said first reservoir in contact with said first conductive Liquid;
- a first pump connected to said first reservoir for pumping said first conductive Liquid;
- a first flowing conductive liquid electrode within said chamber connected to said first conductive liquid and said first pump wherein said first flowing conductive liquid electrode is positioned along said first chamber wall and positioned wherein the flowing liquid sample is in direct contact with said first flowing conductive liquid electrode;
- a second reservoir containing a second conductive liquid;
- a second metal electrode in said second reservoir in contact with said second conductive liquid;
- a second pump connected to said second reservoir for pumping said second conductive liquid;
- a second flowing conductive liquid electrode within said chamber connected to said second conductive liquid and said second pump wherein aid second flowing conductive liquid electrode is positioned along said second chamber wall opposite first chamber wall and positioned wherein the flowing liquid sample is in direct contact with said second flowing conductive liquid electrode;
- and
- an electric field generated from associated circuitry applied to said first flowing conductive liquid electrode and said second flowing conductive liquid electrode.
An electrophoresis apparatus for separating particles in a flowing liquid sample, comprising:
- a microchip;
- a chamber in said microchip, said chamber having a first chamber wall and a second chamber wall wherein said flowing liquid sample is between said first chamber wall and said second chamber wall;
- a first reservoir containing a first liquid sodium chloride solution:
- a first metal electrode in said first reservoir in contact with said first liquid sodium chloride solution;
- a first pump connected to said first reservoir for pumping said first liquid sodium chloride solution;
- a first flowing liquid sodium chloride solution electrode within said chamber connected to said first sodium chloride solution and said first pump wherein said first flowing liquid sodium chloride solution electrode is positioned along said first chamber wall for producing a cathode electrode and is positioned wherein the flowing liquid sample is in direct contact with said first flowing liquid sodium chloride solution electrode;
- a second reservoir containing a second liquid sodium chloride solution;
- a second metal electrode in said second reservoir in contact with said second liquid sodium chloride solution;
- a second pump connected to said second reservoir for pumping said second liquid sodium chloride solution;
- a second flowing liquid sodium chloride solution electrode within said chamber connected to said second sodium chloride solution and said second pump wherein said second flowing liquid sodium chloride solution electrode is positioned along said second chamber wall opposite said first chamber wall for producing an anode electrode and is positioned wherein the flowing liquid sample is in direct contact with said second flowing liquid sodium chloride solution electrode;
- and
- an electric field applied to said first flowing liquid sodium chloride solution electrode means and said second flowing liquid sodium chloride solution electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.