SPOTplasma · Flexible Tube Micro Plasma (FμTP) for Dried Blood Spot (DBS) analysis
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-05-01 → 2023-04-30
- EU contribution
- €172,932
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
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Results in brief
Flexible Tube Micro Plasma (FμTP) for Dried Blood Spot (DBS) analysis
SPOTplasma aims at developing innovative solutions for the growing field of direct biofluid spot (DBFS) analysis on paper. The main goal was to enhance the efficiency, speed, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility of this analytical process. DBFS analysis holds significant importance in various topics, including newborn screening (NBS), pharmacokinetics, and doping testing. Particularly in NBS, the adoption of techniques that expedite the process (first-tier) can help mitigate potential health issues in neonates and reduce the analytical expenses, thereby facilitating access to NBS analysis in resource-constrained settings. The conventional methods utilized for DBFS sample analysis are characterized by lengthy extraction procedures, arduous derivatization reactions, substantial solvent usage, and reliance on sophisticated instrumentation for separation and detection. However, this project has introduced innovative tools for the direct analysis of DBFS utilizing ambient ionization (AI) mass spectrometry (MS). Innovative methodologies have been developed and refined, harnessing the potential of a flexible Tube Micro Plasma (FμTP), cost-effective desorption methods like handheld IR-Laser, and the integration of paper spray ionization with MS. These techniques hold great promise as first-tier methods for NBS analysis or directly analyze DBFS. Through the identification and optimization of the factors influencing ion source performance, and analytical methodologies, this project has not only displayed significant advancements but also nurtured the development of new technologies that will contribute to the enhancement of DBFS analysis.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The need and importance of newborn screening (NBS) is a reality in most of the western countries. NBS helps with the detection and prevention of important health issues during neonates first days of life, avoiding growth or mental retardation or even potential deaths. Even when each individual disorder has a low incidence into the population, their cumulative occurrence is relatively high, around 1 in 1,500 to 1 in 5,000. Most of the NBS programs in western countries are well established but there is a constant need for new methodologies that can tackle more efficient, cheaper, faster, and simpler ways to analyze different disorders. SPOTplasma will help to address innovative methodologies for NBS. Firstly, the project will tackle the idea of unaltered NBS sample analysis with no sample or minimal preparation steps considered as a kind of “Holy grail” for precious samples. And secondly, during SPOTplasma a platform based on ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) will be investigated as an alternative for newborn screening in developing countries, barely implemented due to the lack of well-equipped infrastructures in their public system along with the high costs associated with MS instrumentation. In conclusion, SPOTplasma will address dried blood spot (DBS) analysis by developing analytical tools that can speed up the screening process or cheapen the analysis. Novel methodologies based on a flexible Tube Micro Plasma (FμTP) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) and stand-alone IMS are proposed for DBS analysis not only for NBS but also in the pharmacological industry.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSIDAD DE JAEN · JAENCoordinatorSpain
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union