Microfluidic S
509
Part C | 20.1
20. Microfluidic Systems for Marine Biotechnology
Morgan Hamon, Jing Dai, Sachin Jambovane, Jong W. Hong
During the past decade, rapid progress in physics,
electronics, and material sciences has facilitated
the development of miniaturized microfluidic systems, also known as Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC), that
represent the next generation of analytical laboratories, miniaturized to be held in one’s hand.
Microfluidics has appeared as a concrete alternative than can address problems and overcome
limitation in various biological and chemical domains, including stem cell research, drug discovery,
and food sciences just to name a few, and has
proven to be more than state-of-the-art techniques. Microfluidic techniques provide accurate
and fast results with small amounts of reagents
and can bring various analytical tools for in situ
studies. In this chapter, we describe some of the
systems developed to overcome the limitations of
conventional marine biotechnology processes.
20.1 Basic Principal of Microfluidics ............. 510
20.1.1 Laminar Flow ............................ 510
20.1.2 Surface Area to Volume Ratio ...... 510
20.1.3 Diffusion .................................. 511
20.1.4 Mixing...................................... 511
20.1.5 Wetting .................................... 511
20.2 Microfluidic Devices for Marine Biology
and Ecosystem Studies ......................... 511
20.2.1 Microfluidics for Cell Analysis
(RNA Amplification, Single-Cell
Analysis, and Fish Embryology)... 511
20.2.2 Microfluidic Systems
for Cell Behavior Studies ............ 514
20.3 Microfluidic Devices for Sea-Related
Health and Safety ................................ 517
20.3.1 Microfluidics in Toxic Algae
Detection.................................. 517
20.3.2 Microfluidics in Sea Pollutant
Detection.................................. 521
20.4 Microfluidic Systems for Other Marine
Biotechnology Applications .................. 521
20.4.1 Synthesis of Marine Chemicals .... 521
20.4.2 Marine Bacteria-Based
Microrobot Fabrication
and Control............................... 522
20.4.3 Seawater Desalination ............... 522
20.5 Conclusion........................................... 524
References................................................... 524
Occupying three-fourths of our planet, oceans are vital to human beings [20.1], providing us in kelp,
food, recreation, mining, natural resources (such as
gas and oil), shipping and transportation, and biomedical and cosmetic products; more than 80% of the
Earth’s living organisms are found only in marine
ecosystems [20.2] and about two-thirds of the world’s
population live within 100 km of the coastline [20.3].
Although the importance of seas on our lives is evident, marine ecosystems remain relatively unknown,
underexploited and under-protected compared to those
from terrestrial and freshwater environments. In this
context, marine biotechnology aims to develop technologies to enable scientists to differentiate sea populations, to address emerging diseases to protect fishery and ecological resources, and to discover the
life-enhancing and lifesaving properties these populations possess, while identifying sources of ecological stress to develop strategies to protect and restore
coastal resources and ensuring the safety of the seafood
we eat.
In this chapter, we will discuss how microfluidics
can provide cheap and portable systems to help marine biotechnology to study marine ecosystems, to
protect human health and safety, and to provide resources for research, using a reduced amount of samples in a shorter time when compared with conventional
methodology.
509
Part C | 20.1
20. Microfluidic Systems for Marine Biotechnology
Morgan Hamon, Jing Dai, Sachin Jambovane, Jong W. Hong
During the past decade, rapid progress in physics,
electronics, and material sciences has facilitated
the development of miniaturized microfluidic systems, also known as Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC), that
represent the next generation of analytical laboratories, miniaturized to be held in one’s hand.
Microfluidics has appeared as a concrete alternative than can address problems and overcome
limitation in various biological and chemical domains, including stem cell research, drug discovery,
and food sciences just to name a few, and has
proven to be more than state-of-the-art techniques. Microfluidic techniques provide accurate
and fast results with small amounts of reagents
and can bring various analytical tools for in situ
studies. In this chapter, we describe some of the
systems developed to overcome the limitations of
conventional marine biotechnology processes.
20.1 Basic Principal of Microfluidics ............. 510
20.1.1 Laminar Flow ............................ 510
20.1.2 Surface Area to Volume Ratio ...... 510
20.1.3 Diffusion .................................. 511
20.1.4 Mixing...................................... 511
20.1.5 Wetting .................................... 511
20.2 Microfluidic Devices for Marine Biology
and Ecosystem Studies ......................... 511
20.2.1 Microfluidics for Cell Analysis
(RNA Amplification, Single-Cell
Analysis, and Fish Embryology)... 511
20.2.2 Microfluidic Systems
for Cell Behavior Studies ............ 514
20.3 Microfluidic Devices for Sea-Related
Health and Safety ................................ 517
20.3.1 Microfluidics in Toxic Algae
Detection.................................. 517
20.3.2 Microfluidics in Sea Pollutant
Detection.................................. 521
20.4 Microfluidic Systems for Other Marine
Biotechnology Applications .................. 521
20.4.1 Synthesis of Marine Chemicals .... 521
20.4.2 Marine Bacteria-Based
Microrobot Fabrication
and Control............................... 522
20.4.3 Seawater Desalination ............... 522
20.5 Conclusion........................................... 524
References................................................... 524
Occupying three-fourths of our planet, oceans are vital to human beings [20.1], providing us in kelp,
food, recreation, mining, natural resources (such as
gas and oil), shipping and transportation, and biomedical and cosmetic products; more than 80% of the
Earth’s living organisms are found only in marine
ecosystems [20.2] and about two-thirds of the world’s
population live within 100 km of the coastline [20.3].
Although the importance of seas on our lives is evident, marine ecosystems remain relatively unknown,
underexploited and under-protected compared to those
from terrestrial and freshwater environments. In this
context, marine biotechnology aims to develop technologies to enable scientists to differentiate sea populations, to address emerging diseases to protect fishery and ecological resources, and to discover the
life-enhancing and lifesaving properties these populations possess, while identifying sources of ecological stress to develop strategies to protect and restore
coastal resources and ensuring the safety of the seafood
we eat.
In this chapter, we will discuss how microfluidics
can provide cheap and portable systems to help marine biotechnology to study marine ecosystems, to
protect human health and safety, and to provide resources for research, using a reduced amount of samples in a shorter time when compared with conventional
methodology.