On-Chip Pathogens Enrichment and Detection Using Dual Vortex-Enhanced Acoustofluidic Tornado.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Acoustofluidics

Background:

• Pathogen detection is crucial for global health but hindered by low concentrations in samples.
• Existing acoustofluidic platforms face limitations in efficiently enriching diverse pathogen sizes.
• Continuous-flow operation and broad-range capture remain challenges for current technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel acoustofluidic lab-on-a-chip platform for broad-range pathogen enrichment.
• To enhance pathogen capture efficiency and detection sensitivity using a unique vortex dynamics.
• To overcome limitations of existing systems in handling varying pathogen sizes and concentrations.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a geometrically optimized dual-triangular gigahertz (GHz) bulk acoustic wave resonator.
• Creation of a stable, three-dimensional dual acoustofluidic vortex structure.
• Utilizing a solid-free fluidic capture strategy with adaptive vortex dynamics.

Main Results:

• Achieved >99% capture efficiency for 2 μm particles and >12x fluorescence enhancement for 100 nm particles.
• Demonstrated detection limits of 1 × 10^3 CFU/mL for bacteria and 2 × 10^4 PFU/mL for coronavirus in <5 min.
• Showcased accommodation of pathogen concentrations from 10^3 to 10^8 CFU/mL without channel blockage.

Conclusions:

• The Dual Vortex-Enhanced Acoustofluidic Tornado (D-VEAT) offers rapid, efficient, and broad-range pathogen enrichment.
• This technology enables sensitive pathogen detection from ultra-low volume samples.
• D-VEAT presents a promising solution for low-cost, reusable diagnostics in various settings.