title: Membrane assisted and temperature controlled on-line evaporative concentration for microfluidics.
abstract: A membrane evaporation concentrator for continuous flow conditions is introduced. The membrane evaporation concentrator provides nearly 30-fold concentration in less than 60min whilst maintaining solute integrity under different sub-ambient pressure conditions and mild temperatures. To better understand the performance of the concentrator, a theoretical model was developed using caffeine as a model analyte, and used to predict the concentration performance of three target analytes at different conditions. An exponential relationship exists between temperature and concentration factor. By using the model it was determined that a 10-fold concentration (±0.5) can be performed at 56.72±0.07°C and at a flow rate of 10μLmin-1. Altogether, the model provides a better understanding of the process and ease of application in a wide variety of analytical methods. This work demonstrates that it is possible to obtain high concentrations with a continuously flowing fluid when temperature is precisely controlled and in times that are reasonable compared to existing evaporation concentration procedures.
authors.affiliation: ASTech, ARC Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation Technologies, Australia; Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Physical Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fornells
authors.affiliation: Trajan Scientific and Medical, 7 Argent Place, Ringwood, Victoria 3134, Australia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: ASTech, ARC Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation Technologies, Australia; Trajan Scientific and Medical, 7 Argent Place, Ringwood, Victoria 3134, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: ASTech, ARC Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation Technologies, Australia; Trajan Scientific and Medical, 7 Argent Place, Ringwood, Victoria 3134, Australia.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Shellie
authors.affiliation: ASTech, ARC Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation Technologies, Australia; Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Hilder
authors.affiliation: ASTech, ARC Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation Technologies, Australia; Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Physical Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. Electronic address: palinko@chem.u-szeged.hu.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Breadmore
mesh_terms: D002110:Caffeine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011312:Pressure; D013696:Temperature; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D002110:Caffeine
keywords: Evaporation; Preconcentration