Researchers have found a novel use for “fidget spinner” toys – separating blood plasma for diagnostic tests.
Centrifuges are expensive and require electricity that might not be available in resource-limited regions.
The new approach could be useful for medical applications in regions of the world that lack electricity and other resources.
Chien-Fu Chen, Chien-Cheng Chang and colleagues wondered if a commercially available fidget-spinner could generate enough force to separate blood plasma with the flick of a finger.
They placed human blood samples in tiny tubes, sealed the ends and taped a tube to each of the three prongs of a fidget-spinner.
They found that by flicking the spinner with a finger three to five times, they could separate about 30% of the plasma with 99% purity in only four to seven minutes.
To verify that the plasma was suitable for diagnostic tests, the researchers spiked blood with a human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) protein, separated the plasma with the spinner and performed a paper-based detection test.
The inexpensive, simple method detected clinically relevant concentrations of the viral protein in only a drop of blood. A video of a fidget spinner being used as a centrifuge can be viewed here.
Image credit | iStock
