doi:10.3850/978-981-07-0319-6_255


Orientation and Immobilisation of Diatoms


Nuthalapati Greeshma1, Anna Godhe3, Anders Blomberg4 and Per Johander2

1Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg Sweden

2SwereaIVF, Argongatan 30, SE431 53, Mölndal, Sweden

3University of Gothenburg, Department of Marine Ecology, Box 461, SE405 30, Göteborg, Sweden

4University of Gothenburg Department of Cell and Molecular Biology

ABSTRACT

Diatoms are microscopic algae found in almost all aquatic environments. Diatoms can grow 3D nano-and microstructures of 200–50 microns with structural features down to 10nm. For the orientation and immobilization of the diatoms into patterned arrays, a technique has been designed and evaluated based using light and nutrients as attractants. As a result, a 2D array of diatom silica shells was obtained which could be useful for manufacturing of complex micro /nano-structures. We used a pattern having 20 µm size spots separated by a distance of 200 µm to observe the directed motility of diatoms regulated by light or nutrients.

Keywords: Diatom, Manufacturing, Light, Nutrients.


     Back to TOC

FULL TEXT(PDF)