Editing Digital microfluidics (section)

==== Magnetic particles ====
For magnetic particle separations a droplet of solution containing the analyte of interest is placed on a digital microfluidics [[electrode array]] and moved by the changes in the charges of the electrodes. The droplet is moved to an electrode with a magnet on one side of the array with magnetic particles functionalized to bind to the analyte. Then it is moved over the electrode, the magnetic field is removed and the particles are suspended in the droplet. The droplet is swirled on the electrode array to ensure mixing. The magnet is reintroduced and the particles are immobilized and the droplet is moved away. This process is repeated with wash and elution buffers to extract the analyte.<ref name="Wang_2007" /><ref name="Vergauwe_2014" /><ref name="Seale_2016" /><ref name="Shah_2009" /><ref name="Jebrail_2014" /><ref name="Hung_2015" /><ref name="Choi_2013" /><ref name="Choi_2016" />

Magnetic particles coated with antihuman [[serum albumin]] antibodies have been used to isolate human serum albumin, as proof of concept work for immunoprecipitation using digital microfluidics.<sup>5</sup> DNA extraction from a whole blood sample has also been performed with digital microfluidics.<sup>3</sup> The procedure follows the general methodology  as the magnetic particles, but includes pre-treatment on the digital microfluidic platform to [[Lysis|lyse]] the cells prior to DNA extraction.<ref name="Seale_2016" />