Monitoring the growthphases of microalgae using straightforward dielectrophoresis measurements

This study demonstrates a straightforward method for differentiating single microalgal cells in different growth phases based on dielectrophoresis (DEP). The balance of DEP force and drag force leads to an easy-to-use linear relation between DEP velocity and the real-part of the Clausius Mossotti factor, which determines the velocity of DEP. The DEP velocity of microalgae in the stationary phase is slower than microalgae in the exponential phase, owing to the cellular compositions changed during growth. Microalgal cells in the stationary phase also showed a higher transition frequency than cells in the exponential phase.