Abstract
We studied an imaging-based technique for the rapid quantification of bio-particles in a dielectrophoretic (DEP) microfluidic chip. Label-free particles could be successively sorted and trapped in a continuous flow manner under the applied alternating current (AC) conditions. Both 2 and 3 μm polystyrene beads at a concentration of 1.0 × 107 particles ml-1 could be rapidly quantified within 5 min in our DEP system. Capturing efficiencies higher than 95% could be 2 μm polystyrene beads with a linear flow speed, applied voltage and frequency of 0.89 mm s-1, 20 Vp-p and 5 MHz. Yeast cells (Candida glabrata and Candida albicans) could also be captured even at a lower concentration of 2.5 × 10 5 cells ml-1. Images of aggregative particles taken from the designed trapping area were further processed based on the intensity of relative greyscale followed by correction of the particle numbers. The imaging-based quantification method showed higher agreement than that of the conventional counting chamber method and proved the stability and feasibility of our AC DEP system.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 311-319 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Microfluidics and Nanofluidics |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2011 Feb |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Chemistry