Development of a rotating microfluidic device for efficient solid-phase extraction in food analysis

In recent years, microchemical devices have garnered increasing attention for enabling highly efficient chemical processes using minute sample volumes while offering advantages such as compactness and low environmental impact. In this study, a rotating microfluidic device capable of processing sample volumes on the order of several hundred microliters was developed utilizing centrifugal force as the driving mechanism. The device was designed to streamline labor-intensive solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedures commonly used in food analysis pretreatment. A centrifugal microfluidic device featuring a conditioning unit for SPE column preparation and a pretreatment unit for sample processing was developed. A validation study was conducted using this device on vitamin B1 (thiamine) retained on an SPE column. The measurement results met the relevant guidelines, and the method employing this device reduced processing time compared to conventional methods. As a preliminary evaluation, ascorbic acid 2-glucoside was also tested as a flow-through-mode analyte. However, device-associated chromatographic interference precluded confirmation of the quantitative validity of the method. Thus, this device is expected to contribute to labor and space savings as well as reduced environmental impact in food analysis pretreatment. However, further device design improvements and additional validation are required to expand its range of applicable targets.