Viability of yeast cells in well controlled propagating and standing ultrasonic plane waves

Recent studies have shown that there is no loss of cell viability when the cells are subjected to ultrasonic standing wave fields in acoustic cell retention systems. These systems are characterised by waves that spatially vary in pressure amplitude in the direction of sound propagation. In this work an anechoic 'one-dimensional' sonication chamber has been developed that produces propagating waves, which differ from standing waves in that the pressure amplitude remains constant as the wave travels in a medium with negligible attenuation. The viability of yeast cell suspensions as a function of treatment time was investigated during exposure to both standing and propagating wave fields with frequencies slightly above 2 MHz. The influence of 12% (vol/vol) of ethanol in water on the spatial arrangement of the cells in suspension was also studied. Changes in yeast cell morphology caused by the different types of suspension media and the ultrasonic treatment were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The agglomeration of yeast cells within the pressure nodal planes appears to minimise damaging effects due to ultrasonic fields. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.