Whole Blood Filter Medium for Cell-Free Plasma Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for separating blood plasma/serum from whole blood, such as centrifugation, are cumbersome, time-consuming, and prone to hemolysis and leakage of blood cells, which can lead to inaccurate analysis results and equipment damage, especially in emergency situations where immediate processing is necessary.
Innovation Solution
A whole blood filter medium comprising a bed of particles, preferably beads, that retains blood cells while allowing plasma/serum to pass through, using a combination of materials like glass, ceramic, or polymer particles, along with a membrane and mesh to ensure efficient separation and prevent cell leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If centrifugation is used to separate plasma/serum from whole blood, then separation is achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the centrifugal mechanical separation system with a filtration-based system using a filter medium with specific pore structures and surface properties. The filter medium enables plasma/serum separation through capillary action and size-based filtration without requiring centrifugal force, thereby eliminating the need for centrifuges and reducing processing time while maintaining separation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a filter medium with controlled pore size distribution and porosity to achieve plasma/serum separation. The porous structure allows smaller plasma molecules to pass through while retaining larger blood cells and proteins, enabling rapid filtration-based separation that substitutes for time-consuming centrifugation processes.
2Reliability
If centrifugation is used for blood separation, then plasma/serum can be obtained, but hemolysis and blood cell leakage occur leading to inaccurate analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the separation mechanism from centrifugal force to filtration based on pore size and surface properties. By controlling the filter medium's pore diameter, porosity, and surface charge, the system achieves gentle separation that prevents mechanical damage to blood cells, eliminating hemolysis and cell leakage problems associated with centrifugation while maintaining effective plasma/serum separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite filter medium combining materials with complementary properties: porous support structures for mechanical strength, hydrophilic coatings for plasma wettability, and charge-modified surfaces for selective protein interaction. This composite structure enables effective separation without the harsh mechanical forces that cause hemolysis in centrifugation.
3Productivity
If microdevices with microchannels are used for blood separation, then quick analysis is possible, but only test-specific components can be analyzed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal filter medium that can separate plasma/serum from whole blood for multiple different analysis applications. The filter's pore structure and surface properties are optimized to handle various blood components and analytes, making it adaptable for different test types (electrolytes, enzymes, hormones, etc.) rather than being limited to single-specific tests, thereby combining quick processing with broad analytical versatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables quick, safe, and robust separation of cell-free plasma/serum with minimal hemolysis, reducing the risk of equipment damage and maintaining the integrity of molecular components for accurate analysis, suitable for emergency and Point-of-Care testing scenarios without the need for centrifugation.
Implementation Method 1
a process of filtering a sample of whole blood through a filter medium, wherein blood cells are retained in a filter comprising a bed of particles
Implementation Method 2
the filter medium selectively retains blood cells while allowing plasma/serum to pass through, using a combination of materials like glass, ceramic, or polymer particles, along with a membrane and mesh to ensure efficient separation and prevent cell leakage
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to whole blood filter media and a process of filtering whole blood samples using a filter medium comprising particles, wherein the blood cells are retained inside the filter, and wherein the plasma or serum is separated from the blood cells.