Inertial microfluidics for continuous separation of cells and particles

In this work we describe the use of inertial microfluidics for continuous multi-particle separation in a simple spiral microchannel. The inertial forces coupled with the rotational Dean drag force in the spiral microchannel geometry cause neutrally-buoyant particles and cells to occupy a single equilibrium position near the inner microchannel wall. This position is strongly dependent on the particle/cell diameter. Based on this concept, a 5-loop Archimedean spiral microchannel chip was used to demonstrate for the first time focusing and separation of four particles simultaneously. The polystyrene particles (7.32 mu m, 10 mu m, 15 mu m, 20 mu m in diameter) were selected for this work since they are compatible to the size of blood cells. The device exhibited an average 87% separation efficiency, which is comparable to that of other microfluidic separation systems. The simple planar structure and high sample throughput offered by this passive microfluidic approach makes it attractive for lab-on-a-chip integration in hematology applications.