Two Magnetic Separation Papers Published in Lab on a Chip and Separation and Purification Technology

We are excited to share the publication of two collaborative papers advancing magnetic separation technologies.

The first, a critical review titled "Blood cell separation with magnetic techniques: a critical review," is published in Lab on a Chip. This review surveys recent advances (2014–2025) in magnetic methods for blood cell isolation, evaluating both labeled and label-free approaches. It discusses their efficiency, impact on cell viability, and clinical relevance. Labeled techniques offer high purity but may compromise cell function, while label-free strategies—especially for red blood cells—enable continuous, high-purity separation using intrinsic magnetic properties. The review serves as a guide for selecting appropriate magnetic technologies for research and clinical applications.

The second, a research article titled "Investigation of magnetic nanoparticle recovery using a quadrupole magnetic field via numerical simulation and SAXS," appears in Separation and Purification Technology. This study investigates the magnetophoretic separation of 27.5 nm superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) using a quadrupole magnetic sorter (QMS). Despite strong Brownian motion at this scale, the team demonstrated directional particle migration and non-aggregation using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Simulations with COMSOL Multiphysics confirmed experimental findings and revealed unexpected axial forces acting on SPIONs. These insights inform the design of next-generation systems for recovering nanoscale materials from liquid suspensions.