The LAL (Limulus amebocyte lysate) test for the detection and quantification of endotoxin is based on the gelation reaction
between endotoxin and LAL from a blood extract of
Limulus polyphemus. The test is labor intensive, requiring dedicated personnel, a relatively long reaction time (approximately 1 h), relatively
large volumes of samples and reagents and the detection of the end-point is rather subjective. To solve these problems, a
miniaturized LOC (labon-a-chip) prototype, 62 mm (L)×18 mm (W), was fabricated using PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) bonded to
glass. Using this prototype, in which 2 mm (W)×44.3 mm (L)×100 μm(D) microfluidic channel was constructed, turbidometric and
chromogenic assay detection methods were compared, and the chromogenic method was found the most suitable for a small volume
assay. In this assay, the kinetic-point method was more accurate than the end-point method. The PDMS chip chickness was found
to be minimized to around 2 mm to allow sufficient light transmittance, which necessitated the use of a glass slide bonding
for chip rigidity. Due to this miniaturization, the test time was reduced from 1 h to less than 10 min, and the sample volume
could be reduced from 100 to
ca. 4.4 μL. In summation, this study suggested that the LOC using the LAL test principle could be an alternative as a semi-automated
and reliable method for the detection of endotoxin.
Keywords LAL test - endotoxin - lab-on-a-chip - PDMS - kinetic chromogenic assay - microfluidic chip