Streaming-Particle Method for Dielectrophoretic Characterization

Fully characterizing subtle differences in biologically important particles-including peptides, proteins, protein complexes, exosomes, viruses, organelles, and cells-is essential, as any alteration can impact their function. Detailed bioparticle characterization has broad implications for biomedical engineering, health care, food science, astrobiology, environmental studies, and microbiology. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) generates distinct forces based on subtle structural differences between bioparticles and has the potential to enable full characterization by quantifying the DEP response of a particle. However, current DEP techniques primarily rely on particle trapping, which presents limitations, particularly for nanoparticles. In contrast, streaming-based DEP measurement techniques remain largely unexplored. Here, we introduce a streaming-based microfluidic method inspired by the (inverse) classical scattering problem in physics. Using a custom insulator-based DEP microchannel (iDEP), the DEP susceptibility of a particle is quantified based on its predictable deflection magnitude. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach for negative DEP using finite element analysis to conduct numerical scattering experiments on representative nanoparticles. To fully capture diffusion effects, we solved the steady-state Smoluchowski advection-diffusion equation to obtain concentration fields in the microchannel and extract realistic scattering profiles. Additionally, deterministic particle trajectories, computed in the absence of diffusion, were analyzed using streamline analysis to support the advection-diffusion results. Our results indicate that, under optimal conditions, the prototype iDEP microchannel approaches the necessary sensitivity for protein DEP characterization, even when diffusion is included. Like existing iDEP devices, a real iDEP scattering instrument is expected to be easy and inexpensive to operate. Combined with the straightforward processing and interpretation of the scattering data, the iDEP scattering technique has the potential to enable high-throughput, accurate bioparticle characterization.