Diffusional microfluidics for protein analysis

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an emerging tool to monitor public health and the outbreak of infective diseases. It requires real-time information by measuring chemicals or biomarkers in wastewater generated by people at community-level for WBE analysis. Protein-based biomarkers provide valuable insights into community public health. However, due to the complexity of wastewater, the bottleneck of protein analysis in WBE lies in the lack of high-sensitive, cost-efficient and high-throughput analytical techniques. Diffusional microfluidics, which involves co-flowing streams of analytes and buffer under laminar flow conditions, allows the detection and analysis of biomolecules in their native state via the study of their diffusive behaviour in flow. In this review, recently developed analytical techniques, microfluidic diffusional sizing, free-flow electrophoresis, and hydrodynamic focusing microfluidic mixer, that are based on diffusional microfluidics are reviewed. Their applications in protein analysis including protein sizing, protein-protein interaction, protein separation and protein identification are highlighted.(c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Wastewater-based epidemiology is an emerging tool for monitoring public health and infectious disease outbreaks. Diffusional microfluidics is a high-throughput and cost-efficient analytical technique for protein analysis in wastewater.