Method for concentration and separation of biological organisms by ultrafiltration and dielectrophoresis

Patent · 04 September 2012

OSTI ID:1078303

Simmons, Blake A.; Hill, Vincent R.; Fintschenko, Yolanda; Cummings, Eric B.

Disclosed is a method for monitoring sources of public water supply for a variety of pathogens by using a combination of ultrafiltration techniques together dielectrophoretic separation techniques. Because water-borne pathogens, whether present due to "natural" contamination or intentional introduction, would likely be present in drinking water at low concentrations when samples are collected for monitoring or outbreak investigations, an approach is needed to quickly and efficiently concentrate and separate particles such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites in large volumes of water (e.g., 100 L or more) while simultaneously reducing the sample volume to levels sufficient for detecting low concentrations of microbes (e.g., <10 mL). The technique is also designed to screen the separated microbes based on specific conductivity and size.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): 8,257,568
• Application Number: 12/899,671
• OSTI ID: 1078303
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES