Development of a simple device for processing whole-blood samples into measured aliquots of plasma

A capillary processor and aliquoter has been designed and fabricated that is capable of accepting aliquots of whole blood and automatically processing them into discrete aliquots of plasma. The device consists of two disks, each of which contains 16 individual capillaries and a processing rotor. One disk accepts larger capillaries that hold approximately 100 microL of whole blood each. The second disk accepts 2.54-cm-long precision capillaries of various internal diameters, which provide exact sample volumes from 1 to 10 microL. The processing rotor contains 16 individual compartments and chambers to accept both disks. Applying centrifugal force transfers the aliquots of whole blood into their respective compartments, where they are separated into cellular and plasma fractions. As the rotor speed is slowly decreased, an aliquot of plasma is withdrawn by capillary action into each measuring capillary. The disk containing the 16 measured aliquots of plasma is then removed and placed into a modified rotor for conventional centrifugal analysis. This device can entrain and deliver microliter volumes of liquids with precision and accuracy (1-2%) near that of mechanical pipettes. Assays of the separated plasma aliquots also have acceptable precision (e.g., CVs approximately 3% for measurements of serum enzymes).