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Microorganisms in vortices: a microfluidic setup
Author(s) -
Stocker Roman
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography: methods
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.898
H-Index - 72
ISSN - 1541-5856
DOI - 10.4319/lom.2006.4.392
Subject(s) - microscale chemistry , vortex , streamlines, streaklines, and pathlines , microchannel , mechanics , microfluidics , nanotechnology , shear stress , materials science , microorganism , flow (mathematics) , optics , physics , geology , bacteria , mathematics , mathematics education , paleontology
A method is presented to create microscale vortices using a microfluidic setup specifically designed to investigate the response of swimming microorganisms. Stable, small‐scale vortices were generated in the side cavity of a microchannel by the shear stress in the main flow. The generation of a vortex was found to depend on the cavity's geometry, in particular its depth, aspect ratio, and opening length. Using video‐microscopy, the position and orientation of individual bacteria and algae swimming in vortices of various strengths were tracked. Elongated cells were found to align with the streamlines in a strong vortex. The experimental system provides quantitative single‐cell information on the interaction between microorganisms and their fluid dynamical environment.