CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS ON HUMAN WHOLE BLOOD, PLASMA, SERUM, URINE, SALIVA, SWEAT, AND TEARS ON A DIGITAL MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORM

We present the use of an electrowetting-based “digital” microfluidic device for clinical diagnostics on human physiological fluids. Repeatable high-speed transport of microdroplets of human whole blood, serum, plasma, urine, saliva, sweat and tears, is first shown, to establish the compatibility of these fluids with the electrowetting system. A calorimetric enzyme-kinetic glucose assay is then performed on serum, plasma, urine, and saliva, and the results compared with those obtained using a reference methodology. The values obtained agree well, expect for urine where there is a noticeable difference. The initial results demonstrate the feasibility of using an electrowetting-based lab-on-chip for clinical diagnostics.