Electrowetting-enhanced sustainable liquid films for collection of viable airborne pathogens

环境实时监测系统通常应用于关键空间，可以提供早期(感染前)预警，以遏制传染病的传播。不幸的是，这种资产在疾病传播控制的武器库中严重缺失，新冠肺炎危机就是一个强烈而痛苦的提醒。尽管微流控技术蓬勃发展，但目前还没有真正实时识别空气传播病原体的系统，使这种感染传播监测工具成为可能。生物气溶胶的实时监测需要两个基本要素：连续的时间分辨收集；以及集成的快速分析和检测。最常用的收集技术在很大程度上没有满足这些要求，其中令人震惊的是，没有考虑将收集技术与下游检测技术进行在线整合。为了弥合这一鸿沟，我们引入了一种新的收集方法，使用低体积液膜作为收集介质，使用集成的微流控技术(电润湿)来控制膜的稳定性，并允许收集的物质连续提取到“时间分辨”的可检测样品中。通过使用超亲水表面，可以产生极大表面积的液膜，从而可以非常有效地收集到极小的体积。此外，使用液膜作为收集介质将改善生物气溶胶最脆弱组分的性质的保存。本项目的目的是提供一套新的工具，将现有的生物气溶胶收集技术与实际实时监测分开，提出一种新的方法，将时间分辨的连续气溶胶收集成由电润湿-DMF维持和控制的液膜。关键目标与这些基本技术的实现和整合密切相关。该研究计划旨在调查和验证项目的主要概念和目标，其中包括：-通过研究表面改性过程和流体性质创建局部液体低体积/表面积比(即高扩散)液膜；-利用表面性质制造微流控液滴分配器；-设计和制造用于流动控制和样品供应的DMF装置；-设计和制造集成微流体控制的可持续液膜的气溶胶收集原型；-展示持续气溶胶收集和检测能力；-拟议创新的快速影响、有效传播和影响促进。拟议项目风险非常高，需要回答许多讯问和挑战。制作提议中的电影的最佳方式是什么？把素材收集到那些电影里是完全可能的吗？如何将这些技术集成在一起以实现预期的性能？所有这一切都必须得到证明。挑战很大，但成功的回报可能是巨大的，因为有了一种对抗空气传播疾病的新武器。在当前的大流行中，毋庸置疑，此类疾病意味着巨大的社会经济成本。一种结合了高浓缩率、时间分辨采样和下游连通性的新的生物气溶胶收集方法将实现开发实际连续监测系统所需的重大技术突破。这种工具能够实时识别空气传播的病原体，在早期发现疾病方面将是一笔巨大的财富。实时监测系统应用于细网状网络中，可以实时获取数据，为高精度的机载传输模型服务。在关键地点，如机场、教室或医院，他们会提供感染前的早期预警，以便快速反应，阻止甚至阻止疾病的传播途径。

Routinely employed in critical spaces, environmental real-time monitoring systems could offer early (pre-infection) warning to fight the spread of transmissible diseases. Such asset is unfortunately critically missing in the disease spread control arsenal, of which, the COVID-19 crisis is a strong and bitter reminder. Despite the booming of microfluidic techniques, there are currently no systems for true real-time identification of airborne pathogens that would make such an infection transmission monitoring tool possible.Real-time monitoring of bioaerosol requires two fundamental elements: continuous time-resolved collection; and integrated rapid analysis and detection. Requirements that are largely unmet by the most used collection techniques and among them an alarming lack of consideration for in-line integration of the collection technology with the downstream detection one. To bridge this gulf, we introduce a novel collection approach involving a low-volume liquid film as collection medium using integrated microfluidic technology (electrowetting) to control the film stability and allow for continuous extraction of collected material into 'time-resolved' detectable sample. By employing superhydrophilic surfaces, liquid films of immensely large surface area can be created, allowing extremely efficient collection into minuscule volumes. In addition, using liquid films as a collection medium will improve the preservation of the properties of bioaerosols' most fragile constituents.The aim of the project is to provide a new set of tools to bridge the gap separating current bioaerosol collection techniques from actual real-time monitoring by proposing a novel method for time-resolved continuous aerosol collection into liquid film sustained and controlled by electrowetting-DMF. The key objectives are closely related to the realisation and integrations of these basic technologies. The research plan is designed to investigate and validate the key concepts and objectives of the project, which include: - The creation of localised liquid low volume/surface ratio (i.e. high spread) liquid film through the investigation of surface modification processes and fluid property; - The fabrication of a microfluidic droplet dispenser exploiting surface properties; - The design and fabrication of a DMF device for flow control and sample supply; - The design and manufacture of an aerosol collection prototype integrating the microfluidics-controlled sustainable liquid film; - The demonstration of continuous aerosol collection and detection capability; - The rapid reach, efficient dissemination and impact facilitation of the proposed innovation.The proposed project is very high risk with numerous interrogation and challenges that will have to be answered. What is the best way to make the proposed films? Is material collection into those film at all possible? How can the technologies be integrated together to achieve the desired performances? All of this will have to be proven. The challenge is high but the reward in case of success is potentially huge with a new weapon against airborne transmissible diseases. Amid the current pandemics, there is no arguing such diseases represent an enormous socioeconomic cost. A new bioaerosol collection method that combines high concentration rate, time-resolved sampling and downstream connectivity would make the major technological breakthrough required to develop an actual continuous monitoring system. Such tool, enabling real-time identification of airborne pathogens, would be a formidable asset in early detection of diseases. Used in finely meshed network, real time monitoring systems would acquire real-time data to serve high accuracy airborne transmission model. In critical location, such as airports, classrooms or hospitals, they would offer early pre-infection warning allowing rapid respond to hinder or even stop the disease transmission route.