Micro fluidic device to control the position and to analyze the condition of C. elegans as a bioindicator

We proposed a micro fluidic device to control the position of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) and to analyze the condition of C. elegans as a bioindicator during its lifespan. In this device, we can filter C. elegans depending on size and control the position of C. elegans to culture and test C. elegans and to measure the capacitance change. The capacitance change depends on the body volume of C. elegans. Through the correlation with the capacitance change and the body volume of C. elegans, the body volume of C. elegans is assessed without imaging system. The proposed micro fluidic device was implemented using a PDMS layer and a glass substrate that were bonded together. The PDMS layer had a valve system and pattern rows to filter, culture and test C. elegans. A pair of electrodes is used to measure the capacitance change. In this study, we filtered C. elegans into the same size by filter and one C. elegans was introduced into a chamber row to be cultured and tested. And it was confirmed the correlation between the capacitance change and the body volume of C. elegans. And the proposed micro fluidic device will be applied to observe the effect of chemical or toxicant like heavy metal (Cd) on C. elegans as bioindicator.