Dielectrophoresis to Analyze Mouse Hepatitis Coronavirus Particles

Detection technologies and physical methods used for separation of complex molecules can be effective tools in research when applied to bioparticles including, but not limited to, bacteria, viruses, and proteins. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a technique that has been used in microfluidics for separation and concentration of bioparticles, with the benefits of not requiring custom primers, utilizing small sample sizes, and relatively quick separation times for rapid identification of pathogens such as viruses. As demonstrated in this study, a DEP device using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as an insulator was used for the identification and separation of a mouse hepatitis coronavirus (MHV), a model coronavirus that only infects mice. Results indicate that, using 10 microliters of MHV test sample diluted in buffer, the virus can be identified and separated within 30 seconds using DC voltage of 800 V.