A method and device for concentrating particles in a fluid sample

A method of concentrating particles in a fluid sample comprising steps, of:

• providing a microfluidic chamber having a first compartment in fluid communication with a second compartment;
• introducing the fluid sample into the first compartment of the chamber;
• selectively retaining particles based on a size of the particles, at a sub-region of the first compartment as the fluid sample flows from the first compartment to the second compartment;
• and
• generating acoustic waves in the sub-region to disperse the particles.

A microfluidic device comprising:

• a plurality of chambers, said plurality of chambers being in fluid communication,
• wherein each of the plurality of chambers has a filtering unit defining a first compartment and a second compartment of the chamber, the first compartment of each chamber being in fluid communication with the corresponding second compartment and being for receiving a fluid sample containing particles,
• the filtering unit being configured to selectively retain particles of the fluid sample based on a size of the particles, at a sub-region of the first compartment as the fluid sample flows from the first compartment to the second compartment;
• and
• an acoustic transducer module configured to generate acoustic waves in the sub-region of each respective chamber to disperse the particles.