Qiu Z.Y., Shen Y., Tada S., Jacqmin D.
The City College of New York, US
Keywords: dielectrophoresis separation, particle segregation, surviving rate of cells
We use a spatially periodical electrode array in a fluid chamber to generate a high gradient electric field. Neutrally buoyant poly alpha olefin particles in corn oil in the chamber are transported to the lower electric field by the DEP force, as our calculations predict. However, when the particle concentration is less than 1% (v/v), the particles transported to the lower electric field region do not form a continuous particle strip, instead, segregate into island-like structures suspended somewhere above the ground electrode. For a suspension of 0.1%(v/v) and an applied voltage of 5kV/100Hz, the particle transport time is 10 minutes while the particle segregation time is 30 minutes. So we estimate that a driving force for particle segregation, if any, is 1% of the DEP force. We have not had a picture about the particle segregation and will perform a MD numerical simulation on a cluster of 60 CPUs to understand segregating. We have proposed two applications of this finding. One application is to monitor the surviving rate of cells after electroporation, one crucial parameter to electroporation based techniques like target drug delivery. The other one is to sort out dead cells of breast cancers before perfusion is performed.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 3, Nanotechnology 2008: Microsystems, Photonics, Sensors, Fluidics, Modeling, and Simulation – Technical Proceedings of the 2008 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 3
Published: June 1, 2008
Pages: 308 - 311
Industry sectors: Medical & Biotech | Sensors, MEMS, Electronics
Topic: Micro & Bio Fluidics, Lab-on-Chip
ISBN: 978-1-4200-8505-1