Packed multi-channels for parallel chromatographic separations in microchips

• Designing and fabricating microfluidic chips incorporating multi-channel systems.
• Preparation of multiple chromatographic columns for parallel chromatographic separations.
• Packing of conventional chromatographic particles without the use of frits.
• 3–12 parallel chromatographic separations in chip lead to a high sample throughput.

Here we report on a simple method to fabricate microfluidic chip incorporating multi-channel systems packed by conventional chromatographic particles without the use of frits. The retaining effectivities of different bottlenecks created in the channels were studied. For the parallel multi-channel chromatographic separations several channel patterns were designed. The obtained multipackings were applied for parallel separations of dyes. The implementation of several chromatographic separation units in microscopic size makes possible faster and high throughput separations.