posted on 2014-02-04, 00:00authored byThomas
R. Gibb, Aleksandar P. Ivanov, Joshua B. Edel, Tim Albrecht
Herein, we describe the integration
of two glass nanopores into
a segmented flow microfluidic device with a view on enhancing the
functionality of label free, single molecule nanopore sensors. Within
a robust and mechanically stable platform, individual droplet compositions
are distinguished before single molecule translocations from the droplet
are detected electrochemically via the Coulter principle. This result
is highly significant, combining the sensitivity of single molecule
methods and their ability to overcome the clouding of the ensemble
average with the “isolated microreactor” benefits of
droplet microfluidics. Furthermore, devices as presented here provide
the platform for the development of systems where the injection and
extraction of single molecules allow droplet composition to be controlled
at the molecular level.