Fully integrated lab-on-a-disc for simultaneous analysis of biochemistry and immunoassay from whole blood

TLDR

We report a fully integrated device that can perform multiple biochemical analyses and sandwich‑type immunoassays simultaneously on a single disc. The device uses a disposable lab‑on‑a‑disc with freeze‑dried reagents, laser‑irradiated ferrowax microvalves, and centrifugal microfluidics to automate plasma separation, metering, mixing, incubation, washing, and detection, with optical detection at 10 wavelengths. Within 22 min the disc reports analyte concentrations using only 350 µL of blood versus 3 mL, delivering results faster than conventional laboratory analysis while eliminating the need for trained operators or expensive instruments.

Abstract

We report a fully integrated device that can perform both multiple biochemical analysis and sandwich type immunoassay simultaneously on a disc. The whole blood is applied directly to the disposable “lab-on-a-disc” containing different kinds of freeze-dried reagents for the blood chemistry analysis as well as reagents required for the immunoassay. The concentrations of different kinds of analytes are reported within 22 min by simply inserting a disc to a portable device. Using the innovative laser irradiated ferrowax microvalves together with the centrifugal microfluidics, the total process of plasma separation, metering, mixing, incubation, washing, and detection is fully automated. The analyzer is equipped with an optical detection module to measure absorbances at 10 different wavelengths to accommodate the various kinds of reaction protocols. Compared to the conventional blood analysis done in clinical laboratories, it is advantageous for point-of-care applications because it requires a smaller amount of blood (350 μL vs. 3 mL), takes less time (22 min vs. several days), does not require specially trained operators or expensive instruments to run biochemical analysis and immunoassay separately.