Polyester microchannel chip for electrophoresis - incorporation of a blue LED as light source

A blue-light-emitting diode was incorporated as a fluorescence-excitation l ight source into a polyester microchannel chip fabricated by in situ polyme rization. Placing the light-emitting facet of the diode close to the microc hannel obviated any need for an additional optical arrangement. Fluorescenc e from the sample was transmitted by an optical fiber incorporated into the microchip perpendicular to the LED. FITC labeled amino acids were separate d in the presence of 5 mM SDS by using the microchip and were detected by L ED-induced fluorescence.