Isolating plasma from blood using a dielectrophoresis-active hydrophoretic device

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Cell Separation Technology

Background:

• Accurate clinical diagnostics require cell-free plasma.
• Existing methods for plasma isolation often face challenges with throughput and efficiency.
• Dielectrophoresis (DEP) offers potential for cell manipulation, but integration into high-throughput systems is complex.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-throughput method for isolating pure plasma from whole blood using a novel DEP-active hydrophoretic microfluidic device.
• To demonstrate the simultaneous focusing and separation of various blood cell types.
• To achieve high purity and yield of plasma suitable for downstream diagnostic applications.

Main Methods:

• A microfluidic device integrating anisotropic microstructures and interdigitated electrodes was designed.
• Hydrophoretic principles combined with negative DEP forces were employed to manipulate and focus particles and cells.
• Optimized flow rates and applied voltages were used to achieve efficient blood cell filtration.

Main Results:

• The DEP-active hydrophoretic device successfully focused and separated particles and cells of various sizes, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
• Plasma was extracted with a purity of 94.2% and a yield of 16.5% at a flow rate of 10 μL min(-1).
• The system demonstrated high throughput, overcoming limitations of traditional DEP-based devices.

Conclusions:

• The developed DEP-active hydrophoretic method provides an efficient and high-throughput solution for plasma isolation.
• The tunable nature of the device allows for flexible control over particle positioning without channel redesign.
• This technology is compatible with other microfluidic platforms, facilitating its integration into diagnostic workflows.