Magnetic Separation: Optimization of Pathogen Capture in Flowing Fluids with Magnetic Nanoparticles (Small 42/2015)

D. E. Ingber and co-workers illustrate the capture and removal of bacterial cells from flowing blood by binding them to different-sized magnetic particles that are pulled by magnetic fields. On page 5657, they explain how the optimal size of these magnetic nanoparticles for continuous magnetophoretic pathogen separation is determined. A new theoretical model describing pathogen binding and separation efficiencies is described, and shown to accurately predict the optimal size to promote bead capture in experimental trials.