Apparatuses and methods for washing a plurality of fluid samples are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a system for washing a plurality of fluid samples respectively located within a plurality of cuvettes includes a rotor configured to rotate the plurality of cuvettes about an axis, a traveler mechanism located beneath the rotor, the traveler mechanism configured to move a plurality of magnets parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor to position the plurality of magnets so that each cuvette of the plurality of cuvettes is located adjacent to at least one magnet of the plurality of magnets, and a wash system located above the rotor, the wash system configured to at least one of inject fluid into or aspirate fluid from the plurality of the cuvettes, while the plurality of magnets suspend magnetic particles located within each of the plurality of cuvettes.

In certain embodiments, the disclosure provides an inflatable bladder lid that configures with a cartridge configured for assay testing. The inflatable bladder provides substantially uniform pressure to the cartridge. The pressure is substantially distributed across the one or more regions of the cartridge to extend pressure over a wide cartridge surface. At least a portion of the bladder lid may comprise a flexible membrane material that inflates and stretches over at least a portion of the cartridge to conformally contact its first/top surface.

A method and apparatus for removing magnetic beads together with molecular targets of interest from a fluid is described. A consumable bead collection probe is placed in a vessel containing magnetic beads suspended in the fluid. A magnet outside the vessel concentrates magnetic beads on a surface of the collection probe so they may be manipulated in and out of vessels during washing or processing steps without transferring the fluid into or out of a vessel. In a further embodiment, a vibrational source is attached to the collection probe such that, in combination with the magnet in a position external to the vessel, beads may be washed without releasing them from the collection probe.

A magnetic levitation system is described, including a first and second magnets having surfaces of their like-poles facing each other; and a container disposed between the first and second magnets' like poles and containing a solution including a paramagnetic complex in a non-aqueous solvent, where the paramagnetic complex includes a paramagnetic metal and at least one ligand that coordinates to the paramagnetic metal via electron donation. Methods of separating a mixture of solid compounds, and/or identifying, confirming, and/or predicting the composition of the mixture, are also described.

An electromagnetic pulsed-wave system having an electromagnetic boom for generating a time-varying pulsed-wave to control a colloidal mixture disposed in water and a depository. The electromagnetic boom comprising a plurality of electrically coupled solenoids disposed at the water for providing electromagnetic pulses to generate the time-varying pulsed-wave to transport the colloidal mixture. The depository having an electromagnetic ramp magnetically coupled with the electromagnetic boom and a separation receptacle for separating magnetized particles from the colloidal mixture.

Provided herein are apparatuses and systems for mixing liquids and suspensions that include vessels with structures that improve mixing while not contacting liquid delivery components. The apparatuses and systems can include a motor drive that allows speed and directional control of rotation of the vessel. The apparatuses and systems can include one or more magnets for separating magnetic beads in a suspension. Also provided are methods using said apparatuses and systems for mixing and separation processes.

A centrifugal reaction device includes: a centrifugal disk including a centrifugal shaft and at least one centrifugal holder, with the centrifugal holder disposed annularly about the centrifugal shaft; and at least one magnetic block disposed on at least one side of the centrifugal holder, wherein the centrifugal holder detachably holds a reaction tube, and the reaction tube contains magnetic beads, wherein the magnetic beads move within the reaction tube under a force of the sum of a magnetic force of the magnetic block and a centrifugal force. Therefore, a reaction mixture is blended quickly and sufficiently to facilitate a reaction. With the magnetic beads adsorbing a product, a valve of the reaction tube opens under the centrifugal force to discharge a waste liquid and reduce consumption of consumables of the reaction tube.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for flow-through separation of paramagnetic particle-bound cells in a cell suspension containing both bound and unbound cells as well as systems and methods for removing paramagnetic particles from paramagnetic particle-bound cells or from a cell suspension with unbound cells. It further relates to a flow-through magnetic separation/debeading module and a flow-through spinning membrane debeading module.

Microfluidic devices are described that include a microfluidic channel, a first array of one or more magnets above the microfluidic channel, each magnet in the first array having a magnetic pole orientation opposite to a magnetic pole orientation of an adjacent magnet in the first array, and a second array of one or more magnets beneath the microfluidic channel, each magnet in the second array having a magnetic pole orientation opposite to a magnetic pole orientation of an adjacent magnet in the second array. The first array is aligned with respect to the second array such that magnetic fields emitted by the first array and second array generate a magnetic flux gradient profile extending through the channel. An absolute value of the profile includes a first maximum and a second maximum that bound a local minimum. The local minimum is located within the microfluidic channel or less than 5 mm away from a wall of the microfluidic channel. Methods of using the new devices are also described.

A method and system for separating valuable material, such as precious metals and rare earth elements, from a raw material, such as coal, is disclosed. The system may include a crusher or pulverizer for producing finely crushed material. This crushed material may be made into a slurry and placed into an econosizer for separating material by its specific gravity. High specific gravity material may be further refined using magnets, separators, or centrifuges, among other disclosed components of the system.