Centrifuge-Free Plasma Separation via Filtration and Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for generating plasma from whole blood for clinical assays are inefficient and require centrifugation, making them unsuitable for point-of-care testing, especially in resource-limited settings, due to issues with plasma quality and recovery.
Innovation Solution
A method combining serial mechanical filtration with hemagglutination agent-mediated aggregation of red blood cells to separate plasma from whole blood without centrifugation, using a combination of filters and a hemagglutination agent to achieve plasma purification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If centrifugal force is applied to sediment cells for plasma separation, then plasma quality is improved, but device complexity and requirement for centrifuges increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful RBC components from plasma through sequential filtration. The first filter removes platelets and WBCs, while the second filter removes RBCs and their debris, achieving plasma purification without centrifugation. This extraction approach resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for complex centrifugal equipment while maintaining plasma quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous filtration membranes with specific pore sizes to separate blood components. The first membrane has pores that allow plasma to pass while retaining platelets and WBCs, and the second membrane has smaller pores to retain RBCs. This use of porous materials enables simple, centrifuge-free plasma separation with high quality output.
2Manufacturing precision
If centrifugation is used for plasma separation, then plasma purity is improved, but time consumption and operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary mechanical deformation to RBCs using a shear-thinning fluid before filtration. This pre-treatment causes RBCs to deform and pass through the first filter, allowing them to be captured by the second filter more efficiently. This preliminary action accelerates the separation process while maintaining high plasma purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a shear-thinning fluid as an intermediary substance to facilitate RBC deformation and separation. This fluid temporarily alters the viscosity characteristics during the separation process, enabling faster filtration while preserving plasma integrity. The intermediary substance resolves the time-quality contradiction by accelerating separation without compromising purity.
3Device complexity
If mechanical filtration is applied to separate plasma from whole blood, then device complexity is reduced, but plasma quality and recovery may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filtration process into two distinct stages using two separate membranes with different pore sizes. The first membrane (larger pores) removes platelets and WBCs, while the second membrane (smaller pores) removes RBCs and debris. This segmentation allows each filter to be optimized for specific components, achieving high plasma quality with simple mechanical filtration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pore size parameter between the two filtration membranes to achieve selective separation. The first membrane has larger pores that permit plasma passage while blocking larger cells, and the second membrane has smaller pores to capture RBCs. This parameter variation enables effective plasma purification through simple filtration without compromising quality.
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 allows for rapid generation of high-quality plasma suitable for clinical assays, eliminating the need for centrifuges and enabling point-of-care testing with improved plasma recovery and quality, suitable for use in microfluidic and pump-driven systems.
Implementation Method 1
incubating a mixture of the first filtrate and a hemagglutination agent for a period of time sufficient for agglutination of the RBCs to occur in the first filtrate
Implementation Method 2
applying a sufficient force to a whole blood sample to pass a fraction of the sample through a first filter to obtain a first filtrate comprising red blood cells
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for separating blood plasma from whole blood in the absence of performing centrifugation are provided. The method combines mechanical filtration and blood cell aggregation and is adapted for use in POC clinical testing.