Lab On a Chip 2005-04-01

A MALDI-chip integrated system with a monitoring window.

Monica Brivio, Niels R Tas, Martijn H Goedbloed, Han J G E Gardeniers, Willem Verboom, Albert van den Berg, David N Reinhoudt

Index: Lab Chip 5(4) , 378-81, (2005)

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Abstract

The integration of a monitoring port along the microfluidic path of a MALDI-chip integrated device is described. Optimization of the microreactor design allows longer reaction and measuring times. The Schiff base reaction between 4-tert-butylaniline (1) and 4-tert-butylbenzaldehyde (2) in ethanol was carried out on-chip in the MALDI ionization chamber and the formed imine 3 was detected in real time, demonstrating the feasibility of the "monitoring window" approach. This preliminary result opens the way to on-chip kinetic studies by MALDI-MS, by opening multiple monitoring windows along the microchannel.