Non-contact acoustic cell trapping in disposable glass capillaries

Abstract

Non-contact trapping using acoustic standing waves has shown promising results in cell-based research lately. However, the devices demonstrated are normally fabricated using microfabrication or precision machining methods leading to a high unit cost. In e.g. clinical or forensic applications avoiding cross-contamination, carryover or infection is of outmost importance. In these applications disposable devices are key elements, thus making the cost per unit a critical factor. A solution is presented here where low-cost off-the-shelf glass capillaries are used as resonators for standing wave trapping. Single-mode as well as multi-node trapping is demonstrated with an excellent agreement between simulated and experimentally found operation frequencies. Single particle trapping is verified at 7.53 MHz with a trapping force on a 10 μm particle of up to 1.27 nN. The non-contact trapping is proved using confocal microscopy. Finally, an application is presented where the capillary is used as a pipette for aspirating, trapping and dispensing red blood cells.