Microfluidic evaporator concentrator for increasing analyte concentration in small-volume aqueous samples

Background

Point-of-care diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and biomanufacturing increasingly require the detection of low concentrations of biomolecules and other non-volatile analytes in aqueous samples, yet many portable analytical systems lack sufficient sensitivity without a preconcentration step.

Existing methods such as centrifugal evaporation, lyophilization, and membrane filtration are poorly suited for small-volume or temperature-sensitive samples, often causing biomolecule degradation, analyte loss, or membrane fouling.

These techniques are also bulky, labor-intensive, and difficult to integrate into automated or microfluidic workflows, limiting their usefulness in continuous monitoring or point-of-care applications.

There is a significant unmet need for compact, low-temperature, high-efficiency preconcentration tools compatible with microliter-scale samples and capable of seamlessly integrating into modern analytical platforms without compromising analyte stability.

Technology overview

This technology is a micro-3D printed evaporator concentrator that enables low-temperature preconcentration of non-volatile analytes through controlled solvent evaporation within a monolithic microfluidic structure. Fabricated from a hydrophilic biocompatible resin, the device contains an inner liquid transport tube with 30-70 micrometer pores that facilitate radial solvent evaporation when exposed to a surrounding flow of dry nitrogen.

Operating at gentle temperatures between 20°C and 40°C and handling flow rates of one to ten microliters per minute, the system can concentrate tens to hundreds of microliters of sample by up to tenfold while preserving biomolecule integrity. Integrated temperature control and humidity sensing provide precise regulation of the evaporation rate, and the device’s single-part construction offers leak resistance, durability, and scalability.

High-resolution 3D printing enables optimization of pore geometry for efficient vapor transport, making the concentrator compatible with microfluidic diagnostic devices, continuous monitoring systems, and automated analytical workflows.

Benefits

Low-temperature evaporation preserves sensitive biomolecules
Compatible with microliter-scale samples and microfluidic workflows
Up to tenfold concentration increase for improved detection sensitivity
Assembly-free 3D printed design enables scalable manufacturing
Integrated sensors provide precise, reproducible evaporation control

Applications

Clinical diagnostics and point-of-care testing
Environmental analyte monitoring
Biomanufacturing and process analytics
Microfluidic and lab-on-chip devices
Metabolite and protein quantification workflows

Opportunity

Addresses critical sensitivity limitations in portable and point-of-care analytical systems
Provides a compact, low-power, and scalable preconcentration solution for integration into diagnostic and monitoring devices
Suitable for commercialization as a standalone module or OEM component
Available for exclusive licensing