title: A digital microfluidic method for dried blood spot analysis.
abstract: Blood samples stored as dried blood spots (DBSs) are emerging as a useful sampling and storage vehicle for a wide range of applications. Unfortunately, the surging popularity of DBS samples has not yet been accompanied by an improvement in automated techniques for extraction and analysis. As a first step towards overcoming this challenge, we have developed a prototype microfluidic system for quantification of amino acids in dried blood spots, in which analytes are extracted, mixed with internal standards, derivatized, and reconstituted for analysis by (off-line and in-line) tandem mass spectrometry. The new method is fast, robust, precise, and most importantly, compatible with automation. We propose that the new method can potentially contribute to a new generation of analytical techniques for quantifying analytes in DBS samples for a wide range of applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Mais J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jebrail
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jared M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mudrik
authors.forename: Nelson M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Lafrenière
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McRoberts
authors.forename: Osama Y
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Al-Dirbashi
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Pranesh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: Aaron R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wheeler
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D001331:Automation; D000440:Butanols / Q000737:chemistry; D059788:Dried Blood Spot Testing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008715:Methionine / Q000032:analysis; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000032:analysis; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000440:Butanols; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine; D008715:Methionine