Active separation

Method

Brief Summary

Advantage

Disadvantag
e

Plasma Purification
Efficiency

Volume of
plasma
extracted

Dielectrophoresis
with cross-flow
filtration and
capillary force

Use of
dielectrophoretic
properties of RBC to
unclog the filter
entrance to ensure
continuous operation

Use of capillary force

eliminate the need
for pump
Work with undiluted
blood

Need electrodes
and E-field to
induce
dielectrophoresis

97%

165 nL plasma
from 15uL
undiluted blood

Acoustophoresis

Applying standing
wave to move blood
particles to pressure
node to be removed

Able to process high

hematocrit blood

Requires wellcontrolled flow

rate for adequate
exposure to
acoustic wave
Increase samples
temperature due
to dissipation of
acoustic energy

100% for longer channel

12.5% clean
plasma could be
extracted from
whole blood

Electro-osmotic flow
field

Controlling the flow

of blood with electric
field. At T junction, a
smaller electric field
is applied at a
branch, making fluid
flow into the branch
but not RBC

Simple design and

control

Use of electric
field might cause
electrolysis of
RBC, which lead
to contamination

Almost 100%

26.6 % plasma
can be extracted

Paramagnetic and
diamagnetic
separation

RBC is paramagnetic
and is attracted to
magnetic field while
WBC is repelled due
to their diamagnetic
properties. Using

Simple chip design

Require magnetic
field source.
Unexpected
interaction
between
magnetized blood

100% for diluted blood

6.875% for non-diluted
blood

23%

Passive separation
Method

Brief
Summary

Advantage

Disadvantag
e

Plasma
purification
efficiency

Volume of
plasma
extracted

Sedimentation

By flowing blood
slowly, the RBC
will sediment at
the bottom (8
min)

Passive separation
does not require
external force

Precise control of
blood flow is
necessary to
facilitate
sedimentation

100%

20-60%

Cross-flow
filtration

The filter is
perpendicular to
blood flow

Reduce filter cake

and clogging
High purification
efficiency without
external force

Long term usage

might still lead to
clogging,

~100%

8-15%

Dead-end filtration

The blood flow is

passed through a
filter to eliminate
RBC

Simple setup: only

need a filter to
block the RBC
from passing

High chance of
clogging

~100%

2-14%

Fahraeus-Lindqvist
effect

Viscosity of blood
decreases with
decrease in
channel diameter
due to the RBCs
moving to the
center of the
channel

Easy extraction of
plasma by the
layer near the wall

Some RBC might

still migrate to the
plasma extraction
channel, which
can lead to
contamination
Highly depend on
blood constituents

80-100% (at lower

RBC
concentration)

80% for diluted

blood

Zweifach Fung
bifurcation law

RBCs are more

likely to flow into
less resistance
branch point at a
bifurcation

Only depend on
hydrodynamic
feature of the
RBCs without any
external force or
equipment

Need careful
design of
microfluidic chips
to achieve
adequate
separation

80 100%

19-30%