CE-LIF coupled with PDMS-interconnected microfluidic systems for rapid separations of neurotransmitters

Abstract

In vivo measurement of neurotransmitters in cerebrospinal fluidic (CSF) is an effective method to monitor neuronal activities. Microdialysis coupled with HPLC or capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a powerful approach for in vivo monitoring of neurotransmitters. HPLC requires relative large sample volumes (e.g. 5-15 ?L), which is infeasible for limited availability of CSF [1], whereas CE is able to analyze nano- or pico-liter samples in a short time such as 20 seconds. We have developed an integrated CE system targeting on in vivo measurements of essential neurotransmitters. This CE system employs laser-induced fluorescence detectors, and online fluorogenic derivatization. Experimental results show that this system is capable of performing long-term monitoring with robustness, accuracy, high sensitivity and reproducibility in a real-time fashion.