Andrea Iginio Cirillo

Bio: Andrea Iginio Cirillo is an academic researcher from University of Naples Federico II. The author has contributed to research in topics: Fouling & Membrane fouling. The author has co-authored 2 publications.

Membrane Fouling Phenomena in Microfluidic Systems: From Technical Challenges to Scientific Opportunities.

Abstract: The almost ubiquitous, though undesired, deposition and accumulation of suspended/dissolved matter on solid surfaces, known as fouling, represents a crucial issue strongly affecting the efficiency and sustainability of micro-scale reactors. Fouling becomes even more detrimental for all the applications that require the use of membrane separation units. As a matter of fact, membrane technology is a key route towards process intensification, having the potential to replace conventional separation procedures, with significant energy savings and reduced environmental impact, in a broad range of applications, from water purification to food and pharmaceutical industries. Despite all the research efforts so far, fouling still represents an unsolved problem. The complex interplay of physical and chemical mechanisms governing its evolution is indeed yet to be fully unraveled and the role played by foulants' properties or operating conditions is an area of active research where microfluidics can play a fundamental role. The aim of this review is to explore fouling through microfluidic systems, assessing the fundamental interactions involved and how microfluidics enables the comprehension of the mechanisms characterizing the process. The main mathematical models describing the fouling stages will also be reviewed and their limitations discussed. Finally, the principal dynamic investigation techniques in which microfluidics represents a key tool will be discussed, analyzing their employment to study fouling.

Miniaturized optical fiber probe for prostate cancer screening.

Abstract: Tissue elasticity is universally recognized as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer. As the first diagnostic test, the digital rectal examination is used since malignancy changes the prostate morphology and affects its mechanical properties. Currently, this examination is performed manually by the physician, with an unsatisfactory positive predictive value of 42%. A more objective and spatially selective technique is expected to provide a better prediction degree and understanding of the disease. To this aim, here we propose a miniaturized probe, based on optical fiber sensor technology, for mechanical characterization of the prostate with sub-millimeter resolution. Specifically, the optical system incorporates a customized Fiber Bragg Grating, judiciously integrated in a metallic cannula and moved by a robotic arm. The probe enables the local measurement of the force upon tissue indentation with a resolution of 0.97 mN. The system has been developed in such a way to be potentially used directly in vivo. Measurements performed on phantom tissues mimicking different stages of the prostatic carcinoma demonstrated the capability of our device to distinguish healthy from diseased zones of the prostate. The study on phantoms has been complemented with preliminary ex vivo experiments on real organs obtained from radical surgeries. Our findings lay the foundation for the development of advanced optical probes that, when integrated inside biopsy needle, are able to perform in vivo direct mechanical measurements with high sensitivity and spatial resolution, opening to new scenarios for early diagnosis and enhanced diagnostic accuracy of prostate cancer.

Optical Biomedical Diagnostics Using Lab-on-Fiber Technology: A Review

Abstract: Point-of-care and in-vivo bio-diagnostic tools are the current need for the present critical scenarios in the healthcare industry. The past few decades have seen a surge in research activities related to solving the challenges associated with precise on-site bio-sensing. Cutting-edge fiber optic technology enables the interaction of light with functionalized fiber surfaces at remote locations to develop a novel, miniaturized and cost-effective lab on fiber technology for bio-sensing applications. The recent remarkable developments in the field of nanotechnology provide innumerable functionalization methodologies to develop selective bio-recognition elements for label free biosensors. These exceptional methods may be easily integrated with fiber surfaces to provide highly selective light-matter interaction depending on various transduction mechanisms. In the present review, an overview of optical fiber-based biosensors has been provided with focus on physical principles used, along with the functionalization protocols for the detection of various biological analytes to diagnose the disease. The design and performance of these biosensors in terms of operating range, selectivity, response time and limit of detection have been discussed. In the concluding remarks, the challenges associated with these biosensors and the improvement required to develop handheld devices to enable direct target detection have been highlighted.

Effect of Colloidal Interactions and Hydrodynamic Stress on Particle Deposition in a Single Micropore.

Abstract: Clogging is ubiquitous. It happens in a wide range of material processing and causes severe performance degradation or process breakdown. In this study, we investigate clogging dynamics in a single micropore by controlling the surface property of the particle and processing condition. Microfluidic observation is conducted to investigate particle deposition in a contraction microchannel where polystyrene suspension is injected as a feed solution. The particle deposition area is quantified using the images taken using a CCD camera in both upstream and downstream of the microchannel. Pressure drop across the microchannel is also measured. When the particle interaction is repulsive, the deposition occurs mostly in downstream, while an opposite tendency is identified when the particle interaction is attractive. More complex deposition characteristics are found as the flow rate is changed. Particle flux density and the ratio of lift force to colloidal force are introduced to explain the clogging dynamics. This study provides a useful insight to alleviate clogging issues by controlling the colloidal interaction and hydrodynamic stress.

Micro-CFD modelling of ultrafiltration bio-fouling

Abstract: ABSTRACT Concentration polarisation on the membrane process is a vast area of interest. The macroscopic characterisation of fouling structure formation occurring during the Ultra-Filtration (UF) of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) was studied in this work. A twisted Monte-Carlo (MC)/Computational-Fluid-Dynamic (CFD) approach was developed to calculate macroscopic fluid-dynamic proprieties. Different fluid-dynamic simulations were performed based on the knowledge acquired by an MC analysis that provided boxes of adsorbed molecules (i.e., 3D proteins meso configurations on the UF membranes surface). These represented the deposit layers formed at different distances from the membrane. The 3D meso structure were imported into a bespoke simulation environment, and several meshes were created to perform micro-fluid dynamic calculations (m-FD). From these simulations, a set of macroscopic parameters was calculated. The resistance to the flow of deposit layers accumulated on the membrane surface, , usually estimated by experimental methods, was computed starting from the ab-initio knowledge acquired at sub-nanoscopic scale. Therefore, this work provides a multi-scale description of a complex phenomenon such as that of protein fouling during a UF filtration starting from a sub-nanometric scale.

An On‐Demand Microrobot with Building Block Design for Flow Manipulation

Abstract: The ability to precisely maneuver miniature objects in flow through a well‐controlled manner is envisaged to have an extensive impact in micro manipulation for profound medical and biological applications. In this work, the magnetic microrobots are fabricated by employing a distinct block‐to‐block approach in which the microrobotic structures are developed using several magnetic and nonmagnetic blocks. To demonstrate the on‐board control strategies of the microrobots, two distinct modes of motion are introduced and actuated with the aid of the developed in‐house electromagnetic system. To delve into the physics of microrobot locomotion, theoretical and numerical investigations are performed that further provide practical relevance for extensive applications with profound reliability. A mixing task is conducted to elucidate the enriched controllability of the microrobot in furnishing an on‐demand flow agitation function with high efficiency. Furthermore, the directions of such mixing are engineered using the proposed modes of motion which can unlock the possibilities to precisely control the directional inhomogeneities of the fluids encountered in diversely microfluidic systems. Aside from it, the multidimensional controllability of the microrobot motions exhibiting distinct flow behaviors is further demonstrated to precisely disperse the particles suspended in the fluid medium. Subsequently, such behaviors combined with the adaptive modes of microrobot motion can be potentially employed as one of the strategies to prevent the fouling problems encountered in several microfluidic applications. The presented work provides the feasible functions of the microrobots where they can play a pivotal role in dampening their functional limitations inherent in dynamic environment, and pave to emerge as fully autonomous microrobots for future engineering applications.