Acoustofluidic harvesting of microalgae on a single chip
Jee-Woong Park1, Soo Hyeon Kim2, Takuro Ito3
1Department of Chemistry, University of Tokyo , Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Biomicrofluidics
|July 28, 2016
Summary
This study introduces an automated acoustofluidic chip for efficiently harvesting microalgae like Euglena gracilis. The platform rapidly separates and enriches target cells from contaminants with high viability.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microfluidics
- Cell Separation
Background:
- Microalgae harvesting is crucial for various applications.
- Existing methods can be inefficient, invasive, or energy-intensive.
- Need for automated, high-throughput cell separation techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and demonstrate an on-chip acoustofluidic platform for microalgal harvesting.
- To separate and enrich Euglena gracilis from a complex mixture.
- To achieve rapid, non-invasive, and automated cell separation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an on-chip acoustofluidic device leveraging acoustic waves.
- Separated cells based on physical properties: size, density, and compressibility.
- Demonstrated proof-of-principle using Euglena gracilis in pond water.
Main Results:
- Achieved simultaneous separation and enrichment of Euglena gracilis.
- Reported high performance metrics: 92.6% recovery, 90.1% separation ratio, 3.43 concentration factor, 12.76 enrichment factor.
- Maintained a high cell viability rate of 98.3% at a flow rate of 500 μl/min.
Conclusions:
- The developed acoustofluidic platform is effective for harvesting microalgae.
- The system offers a rapid, non-invasive, energy-efficient, and automated solution.
- This technology has potential for biotechnological applications requiring microalgae enrichment.
