This presentation describes the development of an integrated analytical system that enables high-throughput density measurements and separations of diamagnetic particles (including cells) using magnetic levitation (MagLev), 96-well plates, and a flatbed scanner. MagLev as we have been developing it is a simple, inexpensive, and useful technique with which to carry out density-based analysis and separation of a broad range of diamagnetic materials with different physical forms (e.g., liquids, solids, gels, pastes, gums, etc); one major limitation, however, is the capacity with which to perform high-throughput density measurements and separations. This work addresses this limitation by (i) re-engineering the shape of the magnetic fields so that the MagLev system is compatible with 96-well plates, and (ii) integrating a flat-bed scanner (and simple optical components) to carry out imaging of the samples that levitate in the system. The resulting system is compatible with both biological samples (human erythrocytes), and non-biological samples (simple liquids and solids, such as 3-chlorotoluene, cholesterol crystals, glass beads, and copper powder). The high-throughput capacity of this integrated MagLev system will enable new applications in chemistry (e.g., analysis and separation of materials), and biochemistry (e.g., cellular responses under environmental stresses) in a simple and label-free format on the basis of a universal property of all matter—i.e., density.

High-throughput density-based measurement and separation using magnetic levitation

256th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.