Rapid differentiation of untreated, autoclaved and ozone-treated Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts using dielectrophoresis.

A novel automated dielectrophoretic electrode apparatus and procedure was used to differentiate between untreated, autoclaved and ozone treated Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts recovered from water. A freeze-frame video technique enabled images of oocysts to be captured when they collected at sites above and between the electrodes upon application of an electric field. The number of oocysts collecting could then be conveniently counted. Varying the frequency of the applied electric field allowed the construction of characteristic spectra for each sample.