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

用于收集活空气传播病原体的电润湿可持续液膜

• 批准号: EP/X017591/1
• 负责人: Loic Coudron
• 金额: $ 25.59万
• 依托单位: University of Hertfordshire
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX017591%2F1
• 关键词: Electrowetting; enhanced; sustainable; liquid; films

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.

环境实时监测系统可以在关键空间使用，可以提供早期（感染前）预警，以防止传染病的传播。不幸的是，这种资产在疾病传播控制武器库中严重缺失，其中，COVID-19危机是一个强烈而痛苦的提醒。尽管微流控技术蓬勃发展，目前还没有真正的实时识别空气中病原体的系统，这将使这样的感染传播监测工具成为可能。实时监测生物气溶胶需要两个基本要素：连续的时间分辨收集;和集成的快速分析和检测。大多数使用的收集技术基本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，我们介绍了一种新的收集方法，涉及低容量的液体膜作为收集介质，使用集成的微流体技术（电润湿）来控制膜的稳定性，并允许连续提取收集的材料到'时间分辨'可检测的样品。通过采用超亲水表面，可以产生非常大表面积的液体膜，允许极其有效地收集到极小的体积中。此外，使用液体膜作为收集介质将改善生物气溶胶的最脆弱的constituents.The项目的目的是提供一套新的工具，桥梁的差距差距分离当前的生物气溶胶收集技术从实际的实时监测，提出了一种新的方法，时间分辨连续气溶胶收集到液膜持续和控制的电润湿DMF。关键目标与这些基础技术的实现和集成密切相关。该研究计划旨在调查和验证该项目的关键概念和目标，其中包括：- 通过研究表面改性工艺和流体性质来制备（即，高扩散）液体膜;- 设计和制造用于流量控制和样品供应的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; -展示连续气溶胶收集和检测能力;- 拟议创新的快速影响力、高效传播和影响促进。拟议项目风险非常高，需要回答许多问题和挑战。什么是最好的方式来制作拟议中的电影？是否有可能将材料收集到这些电影中？如何将这些技术整合在一起以实现预期的性能？所有这些都必须得到证明。挑战很大，但成功的回报可能是巨大的，因为这是一种对抗空气传播疾病的新武器。在目前的流行病中，毫无疑问，这些疾病代表着巨大的社会经济成本。一种新的生物气溶胶收集方法将高浓缩率、时间分辨取样和下游连通性结合起来，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，将是早期发现疾病的强大资产。在细网格网络中，真实的实时监测系统将获得实时数据，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，它们将提供早期感染前预警，以便迅速作出反应，阻止甚至阻止疾病传播途径。