Systems and methods for active particle separation

A method for extracting particles contained in a ferrofluid medium comprising:

• suspending a plurality of particles of different sizes in a ferrofluid medium to form a mixture;
• containing the mixture within a reservoir including a first end having an extraction opening,
• providing a membrane configured with a plurality of pores, each pore of the plurality of pores including a pore size;
• and
• applying at least one magnetic field to the reservoir via a first magnetic field source located proximate to the first end of the reservoir,
• wherein the at least one magnetic field is configured to exert an indirect force on the plurality of particles resulting in:
• a first portion of the plurality of particles having a first size greater than a predetermined threshold size being directed away from the pores of the membrane,
• a second portion of the plurality of particles having a second size smaller than the predetermined threshold size being directed through the pores of the membrane, and
• the first size of each particle of the first portion of the plurality of particles, and
• the second size of each particle of the second portion of the plurality of particles, are less than the pore size.