A simple and rapid method for blood plasma separation driven by capillary force with an application in protein...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Blood plasma separation is crucial for microfluidic diagnostic devices.
• Existing methods often lack speed, reliability, or result in significant residual plasma volumes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a novel, simple capillary-force-driven method for microvolume blood plasma separation.
• To optimize the method for high efficiency, speed, and minimal residual plasma in microfluidic devices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized flat-shaped filter membranes and hydrophilic narrow capillaries within a microfluidic device.
• Employed an interference fit to prevent leakage of blood or cells.
• Investigated the impact of structural parameters and hematocrit levels on separation kinetics and efficiency.

Main Results:

• Achieved a plasma extraction yield of 71.7% within 6 minutes using 60 μL of whole human blood (45% hematocrit).
• Demonstrated high trapping efficiency for blood cells.
• Showcased considerable protein recovery of 82.3% in the extracted plasma.

Conclusions:

• The developed capillary-driven plasma separation unit is simple, efficient, and suitable for integration into microfluidic devices.
• Presents promising applications for clinical diagnostics and point-of-care testing.