title: Separation of microalgae with different lipid contents by dielectrophoresis.
abstract: In this study, the effect of the solution conductivity on the behavior of microalgal cells (Chlorella) with different lipid contents under a non-uniform electric field was investigated. It was found that, for the algal cells with 11 wt% lipid content, the crossover frequency is between 2 and 10 MHz when the solution conductivity is within 1.4 and 2.95 mS/cm, and increases as the solution conductivity increases. As to the microalgal cells with 45 wt% lipid content, they experienced negative DEP at frequency below 20 MHz when the solution conductivity is within 2.06 and 2.95 mS/cm. However, positive DEP was observed when the solution conductivity becomes 1.4 mS/cm. In a mixture of the algal cells, those with different lipid contents were successfully separated by DEP at solution conductivity of 2.95 mS/cm and frequency of 20 MHz.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Luen
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Jo-Shu
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yi-Je
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Juang
mesh_terms: D002708:Chlorella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D012996:Solutions