Analytical Sciences

A Quantitative Determination of Magnetic Nanoparticle Separation Using On-Off Field Operation of Quadrupole Magnetic Field-Flow Fractionation (QMgFFF)

Toru ORITA,*,**,*** Lee R. MOORE,*** Powrnima JOSHI,*** Masahiro TOMITA,* Takashi HORIUCHI,* and Maciej ZBOROWSKI***

*Division of Chemistry for Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya, Tsu, Mie 514-8570, Japan
**Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd., 800 Yamada, Yokkaichi, Mie 512-1111, Japan
***Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195, USA

Quadrupole Magnetic Field-Flow Fractionation (QMgFFF) is a technique for characterization of sub-micrometer magnetic particles based on their retention in the magnetic field from flowing suspensions. Different magnetic field strengths and volumetric flow rates were tested using on-off field application and two commercial nanoparticle preparations that significantly differed in their retention parameter, λ (by nearly 8-fold). The fractograms showed a regular pattern of higher retention (98.6% v. 53.3%) for the larger particle (200 nm v. 90 nm) at the higher flow rate (0.05 mL/min v. 0.01 mL/min) at the highest magnetic field (0.52 T), as expected because of its lower retention parameter. The significance of this approach is a demonstration of a system that is simpler in operation than a programmed field QMgFFF in applications to particle mixtures consisting of two distinct particle fractions. This approach could be useful for detection of unwanted particulate contaminants, especially important in industrial and biomedical applications.

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