Cell separation by using active and passive methods together

Due to the significant advantages of microfluidic devices overmacroscopic devices, such as higher efficiency, portability,environmental compatibility at a reduced cost of samples and operation,they have been extensively utilized in a variety of biomedical, chemicaland environmental issues including particle separation over the last twodecades. Microfluidic devices can separate particles by active methodsin low flowrates and by passive methods in high flowrates and eachmethod has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, incombining these two methods for getting higher efficiency in particleseparation, it would be challenging to optimize the flowrate. In thiswork, at first, an inertial serpentine microchannel device wasinvestigated numerically and validated with experimental data forfocusing 13 μm particles in one streamline. Then, we put effort intodesign a connection part that makes the device more compatible forapplying a new part which works by using dielectrophoretic force. Thisconnection part can be utilized as a flowrate regulator and also as aninertial particle separator. So, in the last section of the device whichworks with active method, a process for enhancing particle separationefficiency or even a particle counting process, can be performed.

Keywords:

Microfluidic device , Passive cell separation , serpentine microchannel , active and passive cell separation