Improving Dielectrophoretic Concentrator
LabSmith Microparticle Image Velocimetry for Improving Dielectrophoretic Concentrator Using the LabSmith LabPackageJosé I. Martinez-López et al July 4, 2012
Sample preparation is a bottleneck for protein, cell and nucleic acid analysis, regardless of the analytical technique used.
An important, and tedious, preparation step is selective concentration of the target of interest, particularly when target abundance is low. One approach is insulator-based dielectrophoresis, or iDEP, in which insulators, often etched in glass or stamped in plastic, serve as in-line, on-chip concentrators.
In order to optimize the performance of in-line, on-chip iDEP, microparticle image velocimetry (µPIV) has been used to characterize the electrokinetic flow under operating conditions. Successful µPIV experimentation requires precise control of the electoosmotic flow, the relative conductivity and the applied electric field. A high quality camera, microscope, and software for measuring the particles in motion are also necessary.
LabSmith’s LabPackage is the first complete solution for controlling this experiment. Using a LabSmith high voltage sequencer and synchronized video microscope, Dr. Blanca H. Lapizco-Encinas and her team create and test predictive theory for in-line iDEP concentration of particles on-a-chip.
Described below is a guide to implementing Lapizco et al.’s application, first published in 2009. (Anal. Bioanal. Chem. (2009) 394:293-302.)
Application: Electrophoresis, Microparticle Image Velocimetry