Nanofluidic system for the studies of single DNA molecules.

Here, we describe a simple and low-cost lithographic technique to fabricate size-controllable nanopillar arrays inside the microfluidic channels for the studies of single DNA molecules. In this approach, nanosphere lithography has been employed to grow a single layer of well-ordered close-packed colloidal crystals inside the microfluidic channels. The size of the polymeric colloidal nanoparticles could be trimmed by oxygen plasma treatment. These size-trimmed colloidal nanoparticles were then used as the etching mask in a deep etching process. As a result, well-ordered size-controllable nanopillar arrays could be fabricated inside the microfluidic channels. The gap distance between the nanopillars could be tuned between 20 and 80 nm allowing the formation of nanofluidic system where the behavior of a single lambda-phage DNA molecule has been investigated. It was found that the lambda-phage DNA molecule could be fully stretched in the nanofluidic system formed by nanopillars with 50 nm gap distance at a field of 50 V/cm.

Determination of tannin in green tea infusion by flow-injection analysis based on quenching the fluorescence of 3-aminophthalate.

A flow-injection analytical system was developed to determine tannin content in green tea infusions. The flow-injection system is based on measuring the quenching effect of tannin on the fluorescence of 3-aminophthalate. Fluorophore was obtained by auto-oxidation of luminol during solution preparation. System performance was satisfactory for routine analysis (sample throughput >20 h(-1); linear dynamic range for tannic acid, 0.005-0.3 mg/mL; linear dynamic range for green tea tannin, 0.02-1.0 mg/mL; CV < 3%). The flow-injection method is immune from interference by coexisting ascorbate in green tea infusion. Analytical results were verified by the ferrous tartrate method, the Japanese official analytical method.