Eltek S.p.a.

Valentina Gallo

Marco Pizzi

Massimo Zanin

Giovanni Melioli

A microfluidic device for concentrating particles contained in a fluid sample comprises a substrate () having a surface where at least one microfluidic arrangement (M) is defined, which comprises: —a loading chamber (), for loading the fluid sample into the at least one microfluidic arrangement (M); —a plurality of microchannels (), which have respective inlet ends connected to the loading chamber (); and —a covering element (), which is substantially impermeable to the fluid sample and extends at least partially over the plurality of microchannels (). The loading chamber () and the microchannels () extend substantially according to a plane identified by the substrate (), and the microchannels () are partially delimited, in particular at an accumulation region thereof (CA) generally opposite to the respective inlet ends, by filtering means () permeable at least to air, the filtering means () being configured for withholding within each microchannel () any possible particles that may be present in the fluid sample.

Micro-fluidic device for concentration of particles

A microfluidic device for concentrating particles contained in a fluid sample (FS) comprises a substrate () configured for being set in rotation about a centre of rotation (), the substrate () having a surface () defined in which is at least one microfluidic arrangement () that extends substantially according to a plane identified by the substrate (). The at least one microfluidic arrangement () comprises at least one microchannel () having a first end () and a second end (), wherein: —the at least one microchannel () comprises, in a region thereof intermediate between its first end () and its second end (), at least one accumulation area () that is at a first distance (R) in a radial direction (R) from the centre of rotation () of the substrate (); —the first end () and the second end () of the at least one microchannel () are at second distances (R) in a radial direction (R) from the centre of rotation () of the substrate (); and —the first distance (R) in a radial direction (R) is greater than the second distances (R) in a radial direction (R), in such a way that particles (P) possibly contained in a volume of fluid of the fluid sample (FS) that penetrates into the at least one microchannel () tend to concentrate in the at least one accumulation area () as a result of the centrifugal force caused by a rotation of the substrate () about the centre of rotation ().

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Casale Monferrato, Italy

Valentina Gallo