HemaDrop™: A Technology to Determine Accurate Blood Composition via Homogeneous Thin Solid Films from Microliter Drops of Blood

Accurate, near real-time analysis of blood can improve medical diagnostics and forensics. Critically and chronically ill patients, premature infants, and children can contract anemia due to the 7 milliliter blood volumes drawn currently. Nanoliter blood analysis lacks accuracy mandated by the FDA and physicians, with errors \textgreater 10{\%}, and lack of support by publications or patents. HemaDrop\texttrademark [1,2] rapidly congeals microliter blood droplets in smooth Homogenous Thin Solid Films (HTSF) without phase separation. HemaDrop\texttrademark uses hyper-hydrophilicity [1] to solidify fluids, enabling blood analysis in vacuo with Ion Beam Analysis (IBA). Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, Particle- Induced X-Ray Emission, and damage curve methods [2] determine blood composition for C, N, O, Na, K, Ca, Cl, Fe and account for IBA damage. Accuracy and reproducibility of blood electrolyte composition is better than 5{\%}. Optical microscopy compares real-time blood solidification, phase separation, and surface roughness for HemaDrop\texttrademark HTSFs and conventional drying. 1. Int{\&}US Pat. Pend. 2016, 2. MRS Advances 2016