AC dielectrophoresis for cryptosporidium parvum separation based on viability status

Cryptosporidium parvum is a deadly enteric waterborne pathogen which causes a self-limiting diarrhea diseases among those affected. Dielectrophoresis are a series of separation methods which can be used to separate cells and particles based on the differences in their internal environment and the external medium they are suspended in. We present a method to separate C. parvum based on its viability status as the small differences between their environments can be exploited using a label-free method such as this one. We do a mixed sample study of 50% viable and 50% non-viable sample where we see a 55.28% average efficiency (n=15) of the sample tested. We then carry out an excystation on the collected outlets and show that 88.4% of all oocysts in Outlet 3 are viable and only 5.9% of all oocysts in Outlet 1 are live oocysts, thus, showing separation can be carried out using this method.