Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a highly sensitive detection technique used to provide information about chemical and biological trace analytes. The confocal Raman microscope makes it possible to monitor small samples in a narrow microfluidic channel, despite the fact that the scattering intensity of the Raman signal is very weak. Recently, microfluidic chip devices coupled with on-chip SERS detection method and their applications to sensitive chemical and biological analyses have attracted significant attention. In this mini-review, highlights of advances in SERS techniques, microfluidic devices and their applications on the biological/environmental analysis of minute analytes within the recent years are provided to illustrate the impact of this rapidly growing area of research.

Nonmechanical pumping of liquids is of key importance for applications from the biomedical microfluidic chip to drug delivery systems. In this paper, a new electrokinetic pump (EOP) system with polycarbonate nanochannel membrane sandwiched between two membrane holders was constructed. The pump was tested with water and phosphate buffer at 1–6 V applied voltage, the maximum pressure and flow rate are 0.32 MPa (3.2 atm) and 4.2 μL/min for phosphate buffer, respectively. This proof-of-concept pump shows its potential use for drugs or chemical agents delivery by the usage of different membrane materials.