Dielectrophoretic Manipulation of Particles for Use in Microfluidic Devices

Abstract

Abstract Amplification and hybridization of DNA are commonly used techniques to verify the presence of a specific DNA sequence in a test sample. Automatic sample handling to concentrate and purify a sample prior to amplification is desirable to increase the sensitivity of the test, to reduce the possibility of sample contamination such as inhibitors and to reduce reagent use. This paper explores the use of the dielectrophoretic force to manipulate DNA, Bacillus globigii spores and Erwinia herbicola bacteria to provide both concentration and purification as part of the sample handling functions in biological assay equipment. It was found that typical microfabricated structures with electrode gaps of 30μm operating at 5V could achieve very effective concentration of these particles.