Novel Microfluidic Design and Lab-on-a-Disc Adaptation for Efficient Hematocrit Screening at the Population Level

Santi Rattanavarin, Thanapat Sangkharat, Ekachai Juntasaro, Witsaroot Sripumkhai, Pattaraluck Pattamang, Wutthinan Jeamsaksiri, Numfon Khemthongcharoen, Ratthasart Amarit, Sataporn Chanhorm, Pongsakun Sripetch, Kamonchanok Duangkanya, Chompunoot Sinthupibulyakit

Abstract

Hematocrit (Hct) measurement is a crucial diagnostic parameter for evaluating oxygen transport capacity and detecting anemia or polycythemia. Conventional microhematocrit methods, while widely used, have limitations, including the requirement for relatively large blood volumes, fragile glass capillary tubes, manual sample handling, and reliance on high-speed centrifugation, restricting their practicality in point-of-care testing (POCT). Lab-on-a-disc (LoD) centrifugal microfluidic platforms have emerged as promising POCT solutions, offering automation and efficiency in blood analysis. However, most existing designs incorporate multiple microfluidic channels and sample inlets on a single disc, making them impractical for single-use applications. This study presents a novel, single-use microfluidic-based blood collection device integrated with a LoD system for efficient and minimally invasive hematocrit screening. The device requires only 5 µL of blood and utilizes capillary action for self-filling, eliminating the need for wax sealing. The optimized microfluidic design enables low-speed centrifugation (7,000 rpm for 5 min) while maintaining high accuracy (R² = 0.9996) compared to the standard method. An automated image-processing system ensures precise hematocrit measurement, while QR integration enhances sample identification and data management, making this system ideal for large-scale screening. The compact and lightweight design makes it highly suitable for mobile healthcare screening units, enabling rapid, safe, and cost-effective hematocrit assessment in remote and resource-limited settings. This proposed method significantly advances accessibility and efficiency in population health monitoring.

Keywords

References

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