Application of boundary element method to calculation of the complex permittivity of suspensions of cells in shape of D-infinity h symmetry

A numerical method using the boundary element method was developed to calculate the complex permittivity of suspensions of particles in the shape of D-infinityh symmetry covered with a shell phase. It was an extension of the analytical methods based on Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars' effects in suspensions of shelled ellipsoids. This method was applied to particles, which were relevant to budding yeast cells and erythrocytes, to examine the effects of the shape on frequency-dependence of the permittivity and conductivity of their suspensions. Results of the calculations showed that the permittivity and conductivity at high frequencies were insensitive to the change in the shape. The change in shape affected the permittivity and conductivity at low frequencies and their frequency-dependence in the intermediate frequency region. This behavior could not be imitated by the calculation using analytical methods with shelled spheroid models. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.