A microfluidic device for separating erythrocytes polluted by lead (II) from a continuous bloodstream flow

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Lead (II) contamination affects erythrocyte membranes.
• Efficient separation of contaminated erythrocytes from blood is crucial for health.
• Current methods for lead detection and removal can be complex and require specialized facilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a microfluidic dielectrophoretic (DEP) device for separating lead-contaminated erythrocytes from whole blood.
• To optimize DEP parameters for efficient separation of lead-polluted red blood cells.
• To assess the potential for point-of-care biological sorting outside traditional laboratory settings.

Main Methods:

• Blood cells were transported through a microchannel into a microdevice.
• Local dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces were applied to separate contaminated erythrocytes.
• Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to analyze lead levels and separation efficiency.
• Optimization of driving velocity, applied power, and AC field frequency was performed.

Main Results:

• The microfluidic DEP device effectively separated lead-polluted erythrocytes from the bloodstream.
• An 80% removal rate of contaminated erythrocytes was achieved.
• The most effective separation occurred at a driving velocity less than 0.1 cm/s, with 10 V(peak-peak) power and a 15.5 MHz AC field.

Conclusions:

• Dielectrophoresis offers a viable method for property-based fractionation and separation of specific cells, like lead-contaminated erythrocytes.
• The developed DEP technique demonstrates high efficiency in removing lead-polluted red blood cells.
• This technology holds potential for decentralized biological sorting and analysis, enabling applications outside of clinical laboratories.