On-chip pH measurement using functionalized gel-microbeads positioned by optical tweezers

Lab Chip. 2008 Feb;8(2):346-51. doi: 10.1039/b712566f. Epub 2007 Nov 27.

Abstract

This paper demonstrates local pH measurement in a microchip using a pH-sensing gel-microbead. To achieve this, the gel-microbead made of a hydrophilic photo-crosslinkable resin was functionalized with the pH indicator bromothymol blue (BTB). The primary constituent of this photo-crosslinkable resin is poly(ethylene glycol). Gel-microbeads impregnated with BTB were obtained by stirring the mixture solution, which was composed of the resin, BTB, and an electrolyte solution. The gel-microbead is polymerized by UV illumination. The polymerized gel-microbead can be manipulated by optical tweezers and made to adhere to a glass surface. The local pH was measured from the color of the gel-microbead impregnated with BTB by calibrated color information in the YCrCb color space. We succeeded in measuring the local pH value using the pH-sensing gel-microbead by manipulating and positioning it at the desired point in the microchip.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bromthymol Blue / chemistry
  • Gels
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Microspheres*
  • Optical Tweezers*
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Surface Properties
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Gels
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Bromthymol Blue