INTERFACIAL CONCENTRATION AND ORIENTATION OF DROPLET CONTENTS FOR ENHANCED DETECTION USING ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE SPECTROSCOPY

摘要

System and method of concentrating (or aligning) analytes at a droplet-bulk solution interface as a means of enhancing a detection sensitivity of the analytes at electrodes in a fluidic channel. A number of differing types of intermolecular forces and chemicals or materials can be employed to accomplish the concentrating (and/or aligning). For example, a measurement analogous to a conventional electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement can be made by bringing an analyte (e.g., a molecule to be detected) to the edge of a droplet, and in so doing, positioning the analyte close to an electrode surface to aid in detection.

主权项

1. A method of determining a composition of molecules in a droplet, the method comprising:
providing a set of detection electrodes in contact with a fluidic channel; concentrating an analyte at an interfacial boundary of a droplet; providing the droplet in vicinity of said set of detection electrodes through the fluidic channel; applying an alternating current (AC) power at a first frequency across said set of detection electrodes; obtaining a first measurement value reflecting electrical impedance of the droplet at said first frequency; comparing said first measurement value reflecting electrical impedance of the droplet with a first corresponding reference value, wherein said first corresponding reference value is obtained by measuring a reference droplet containing a known analyte amount in suspension within said reference droplet at said first frequency; and determining presence of analyte in suspension within the droplet based on said comparing.