Kirby Lab Microfluidics / Nanofluidics : Dielectrophoretic characterization of algae biodiesel feedstocks

Cornell University, College of Engineering

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Brian Kirby Bio

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Dielectrophoretic characterization of algae biodiesel feedstocks

Electrokinetic properties of surfaces

Detection of viral pathogens in environmental waters

Electrokinetics in Tissue-Engineered Cartilage Scaffolds

Dielectrophoretic Particle Manipulation

Microfluidic control of neural development

Microfluidic circulating tumor cell capture

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Micro/Nanofluidics Textbook

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Microfluidics Gordon Research Conference

Microfluidics Gordon Research Seminar

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Dielectric characterization of algal biofuel feedstocks

Funding: DOD

We are developing a method to rapidly measure the lipid content of algal biofuel feedstocks using dielectric spectroscopy. For algal biofuels to be an economically feasible energy source, it is necessary to reliably grow algae with high lipid content in an industrial setting. One of the most promising ways to do this is to subject the algae to environmental stresses such as nitrogen starvation. Since these stresses increase lipid content but decrease growth rate, it is necessary to identify the harvest time that will yield the maximum lipid production rate. Growth and lipid accumulation are also affected by environmental factors like temperature and light exposure that are impossible to fully control in an industrial algae production facility. For this reason, effective implementation of stress-induced lipid accumulation requires the ability to rapidly measure lipid content in real time, an ability which is not possible using existing lipid measurement methods.

Archival Publications

Presentations and Other Publications

30 Sep-5 Oct 2012
Kirby BJ
"Dielectric and dielectrophoretic measurements and manipulations of cells for human health and energy applications", SciX 2012, Kansas City, MO.

28 Mar 2012
Bono MS , Rhoads K , Ahner BA , Kirby BJ
Dielectric measurement of algal lipid content, Division of Analytical Chemistry oral session on "Challenges in Algal Biofuels: Biochemistry, Lipid Extraction and Analysis" at the 243rd ACS National Meeting, San Diego, California.

10 Jun 2011
Bono MS , Rhoads K , Ahner BA , Kirby BJ
Dielectric measurement of algal lipid content for biodiesel production, 11th New York Complex Matter Workshop, Syracuse, NY.

30 Mar 2011
Bono MS , Kirby BJ
Microfluidic dielectric spectroscopy of particle and cell solutions, Division of Analytical Chemistry poster session at the 241st ACS National Meeting, Anaheim, California.


	Batch cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (left) and Chlorella vulgaris (right).

	Coaxial transmission line sample cell used for high-frequency characterization of cell suspensions.

	Measured impedance magnitude (top) and angle (bottom) for a suspension of E. coli cells (blue) and the suspending medium with no cells present (black).