Magnetic separation device and magnetic separation method

A magnetic separation method of a magnetic separation device, the magnetic separation device including:

• a plurality of magnets, each of the plurality of magnets being provided at a position adjacent to at least two of a plurality of tubular accommodation portions, each of the plurality of magnets extending along a first axis and having magnetization for applying a magnetic field to the adjacent two tubular accommodation portions;
• a base configured to support the plurality of magnets;
• and
• a driver configured to change a posture of each of the plurality of magnets between a first posture and a second posture in synchronization with one another among the plurality of magnets, the magnetic separation method comprising:
• a magnetic separation step of separating, by applying the magnetic field to the plurality of tubular accommodation portions for respectively accommodating magnetic beads and a liquid and by fixing the magnetic beads to an inner wall of each tubular accommodation portion of the plurality of tubular accommodation portions, the magnetic beads and the liquid;
• and
• a liquid discharge step of discharging the liquid in a state in which the magnetic beads and the liquid are separated, wherein
• an axis orthogonal to the first axis in a plane orthogonal to the first axis is a second axis, and an axis orthogonal to the second axis in the plane is a third axis,
• the driver is configured with a single shaft, a plurality of rack gears, and a plurality of pinion gears to rotate each of the plurality of magnets around a rotation axis parallel to the first axis,
• the plurality of magnets are arranged in a matrix along a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, a number of the plurality of rack gears are equal to a number of the plurality of rows, and a number of the plurality of magnets are equal to a number of the plurality of pinion gears, and
• an end of each of the plurality of rack gears is connected to the single shaft such that,
• in the magnetic separation step, as the first posture, a direction of the magnetization faces a direction closer to a second axis than a third axis, and
• in the liquid discharge step, as the second posture, the direction of the magnetization faces a direction closer to the third axis than the second axis.