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Acoustophoretic manipulation of sub-micron particles

van Assche, David LU (2017) BMEM01 20171
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Abstract
Microchannel acoustophoresis is a technique which uses acoustically induced forces to translate particles in a microchannel. Its use in biological applications is increasing. Using acoustophoresis to precisely manipulate bioparticles such as yeast, blood cells and cancer cells gives the technique great potential. However, manipulation of sub-micron particles such as bacteria, platelets and micro-vesicles is not possible in continuous flow due to acoustic streaming. Changing the acoustic properties of the medium may permit to suppress acoustic streaming due to induced acoustic forces on the medium. The goals of this study were to (1) determine the minimal size of particles which can be manipulated in homogeneous medium, (2) establish... (More)
Microchannel acoustophoresis is a technique which uses acoustically induced forces to translate particles in a microchannel. Its use in biological applications is increasing. Using acoustophoresis to precisely manipulate bioparticles such as yeast, blood cells and cancer cells gives the technique great potential. However, manipulation of sub-micron particles such as bacteria, platelets and micro-vesicles is not possible in continuous flow due to acoustic streaming. Changing the acoustic properties of the medium may permit to suppress acoustic streaming due to induced acoustic forces on the medium. The goals of this study were to (1) determine the minimal size of particles which can be manipulated in homogeneous medium, (2) establish acoustophoretic focusing using a medium with inhomogeneous acoustic properties for particles below the minimal size from the first aim, (3) separate particles with different sizes below the minimal size from the first aim, and (4) grow \textit{E. coli} bacteria and investigate if they can be manipulated independent of acoustic streaming. A microchannel, etched in silicon, sealed by a glass lid and glued onto a piezoelectric crystal, was used for the experiments. Ficoll PM70 was used to change the acoustic properties of the medium. The experiments showed that acoustoporetic focusing was not possible for particles with a diameter of 1.0 \textmu m in a homogeneous medium. However, a density gradient, created by laminating water and a solution with Ficoll, enabled focusing of 1.0 \textmu m particles for a short period. After flattening out of the gradient due to diffusion, the particles were again dominated by acoustic streaming. The results showed that it is also possible to focus \textit{E. coli} with this method. To conclude, introducing an inhomogeneous medium in a microchannel allows to suppress acoustic streaming for a period of time. This permits to manipulate and separate (bio)particles of smaller sizes with high purity. To continue this study, it would be interesting to investigate the possibility to separate bacteria with different acoustic properties. Further, the minimal difference in properties in the medium necessary to suppress acoustic streaming should be investigated. (Less)
Popular Abstract
How to manipulate bacteria using sound
This thesis deals with acoustophoresis, i.e. how ultrasound can be used to manipulate and separate microscopic particles and bacteria in an extremely small microchannel. Handling of such small particles is useful when you want to separate one type of cells from another, for example red blood cells from tumor cells.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
van Assche, David LU
supervisor
organization
course
BMEM01 20171
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
language
English
additional info
2017-04
id
8906132
date added to LUP
2017-04-28 12:40:46
date last changed
2017-04-28 12:40:46
@misc{8906132,
  abstract     = {{Microchannel acoustophoresis is a technique which uses acoustically induced forces to translate particles in a microchannel. Its use in biological applications is increasing. Using acoustophoresis to precisely manipulate bioparticles such as yeast, blood cells and cancer cells gives the technique great potential. However, manipulation of sub-micron particles such as bacteria, platelets and micro-vesicles is not possible in continuous flow due to acoustic streaming. Changing the acoustic properties of the medium may permit to suppress acoustic streaming due to induced acoustic forces on the medium. The goals of this study were to (1) determine the minimal size of particles which can be manipulated in homogeneous medium, (2) establish acoustophoretic focusing using a medium with inhomogeneous acoustic properties for particles below the minimal size from the first aim, (3) separate particles with different sizes below the minimal size from the first aim, and (4) grow \textit{E. coli} bacteria and investigate if they can be manipulated independent of acoustic streaming. A microchannel, etched in silicon, sealed by a glass lid and glued onto a piezoelectric crystal, was used for the experiments. Ficoll PM70 was used to change the acoustic properties of the medium. The experiments showed that acoustoporetic focusing was not possible for particles with a diameter of 1.0 \textmu m in a homogeneous medium. However, a density gradient, created by laminating water and a solution with Ficoll, enabled focusing of 1.0 \textmu m particles for a short period. After flattening out of the gradient due to diffusion, the particles were again dominated by acoustic streaming. The results showed that it is also possible to focus \textit{E. coli} with this method. To conclude, introducing an inhomogeneous medium in a microchannel allows to suppress acoustic streaming for a period of time. This permits to manipulate and separate (bio)particles of smaller sizes with high purity. To continue this study, it would be interesting to investigate the possibility to separate bacteria with different acoustic properties. Further, the minimal difference in properties in the medium necessary to suppress acoustic streaming should be investigated.}},
  author       = {{van Assche, David}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Acoustophoretic manipulation of sub-micron particles}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}