Abstract
In the present study, we propose a theoretical framework to predict the recovery rates of platelets and white blood cells in the process of centrifugal separation of whole blood contained in a tube for the preparation of platelet-rich plasma. Compared to previous efforts to optimize or standardize the protocols of centrifugation, we try to further the physical background (i.e., based on the multiphase flow phenomena) of analysis to develop a universal approach that can be applied to widely different conditions. That is, one-dimensional quasi-linear partial differential equation to describe the centrifugal sedimentation of dispersed phase (red and white blood cells) in continuous phase (plasma) is derived based on the kinematic-wave theory. With the information of whole blood volume and tube geometry considered, it is possible to determine the positions of interfaces between supernatant/suspension and suspension/sediment, i.e., the particle concentration gradient in a tube, for a wide range of centrifugation parameters (time and acceleration). While establishing a theory to predict the recovery rates of the platelet and white blood cell from the pre-determined interface positions, we also propose a new correlation model between the recovery rates of plasma and platelets, which is found to be a function of the whole blood volume, centrifugal time and acceleration, and tube geometry. The present predictions for optimal condition show good agreements with available human clinical data, obtained from different conditions, indicating the universal applicability of our method. Furthermore, the dependence of recovery rates on centrifugal conditions reveals that there exist a different critical acceleration and time for the maximum recovery rate of platelets and white blood cells, respectively. The other parameters such as hematocrit, whole blood volume and tube geometry are also found to strongly affect the maximum recovery rates of blood cells, and finally, as a strategy for increasing the efficiency, we suggest to dilute the whole blood, increase the whole blood volume with a tube geometry fixed.