BackgroundBloodstream infections (BSI) remain a major challenge with high mortality rate, with an incidence that is increasing worldwide. Early treatment with appropriate therapy can reduce BSI-related morbidity and mortality. However, despite recent progress in molecular based assays, complex sample preparation steps have become critical roadblock for a greater expansion of molecular assays. Here, we report a size based, label-free, bacteria separation from whole blood using elasto-inertial microfluidics.ResultsIn elasto-inertial microfluidics, the viscoelastic flow enables size based migration of blood cells into a non-Newtonian solution, while smaller bacteria remain in the streamline of the blood sample entrance and can be separated. We first optimized the flow conditions using particles, and show continuous separation of 5 μm particles from 2 μm at a yield of 95% for 5 µm particle and 93% for 2 µm particles at respective outlets. Next, bacteria were continuously separated at an efficiency of 76% from undiluted whole blood sample.ConclusionWe demonstrate separation of bacteria from undiluted while blood using elasto-inertial microfluidics. The label-free, passive bacteria preparation method has a great potential for downstream phenotypic and molecular analysis of bacteria.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12951-016-0235-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Acoustophoresis, the ability to acoustically manipulate particles and cells inside a microfluidic channel, is a critical enabling technology for cell-sorting applications. However, one of the major impediments for routine use of acoustophoresis at clinical laboratory has been the reliance on the inherent physical properties of cells for separation. Here, we present a microfluidic-based microBubble-Activated Acoustic Cell Sorting (BAACS) method that rely on the specific binding of target cells to microbubbles conjugated with specific antibodies on their surface for continuous cell separation using ultrasonic standing wave. In acoustophoresis, cells being positive acoustic contrast particles migrate to pressure nodes. On the contrary, air-filled polymer-shelled microbubbles being strong negative acoustic contrast particles migrate to pressure antinodes and can be used to selectively migrate target cells. As a proof of principle, we demonstrate the separation of cancer cell line in a suspension with better than 75% efficiency. Moreover, 100% of the microbubble-cell conjugates migrated to the anti-node. Hence a better upstream affinity-capture has the potential to provide higher sorting efficiency. The BAACS technique expands the acoustic cell manipulation possibilities and offers cell-sorting solutions suited for applications at point of care.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10544-017-0157-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bioparticles such as mammalian cells and bacteria can be manipulated directly or indirectly for multiple applications such as sample preparation for diagnostic applications mainly up-concentration, enrichment & separation as well as immunoassay development. There are various active and passive microfluidic particle manipulation techniques where Acoustophoresis is a powerful technique showing high cell viability. The use of disposable glass capillaries for acoustophoresis, instead of cleanroom fabricated glass-silicon chip can potentially bring down the cost factor substantially, aiding the realization of this technique for real-world diagnostic devices. Unlike available chips and capillary-based microfluidic devices, we report milliliter-scale platform able to accommodate 1ml of a sample for acoustophoresis based processing on a market available glass capillary. Although it is presented as a generic platform but as a demonstration we have shown that polystyrene suspending medium sample can be processed with trapping efficiency of 87% and the up-concentration factor of 10 times in a flow through manner i.e., at 35μl/min. For stationary volume accommodation, this platform practically offers 50 times more sample handling capacity than most of the microfluidic setups. Furthermore, we have also shown that with diluted blood (0.6%) in a flow-through manner, 82% of the white blood cells (WBCs) per ml could be kept trapped. This milliliter platform could potentially be utilized for assisting in sample preparation, plasma separation as well as a flow-through immunoassay assay development for clinical diagnostic applications.