Skip to main content
Article
Remanence Measurements on Individual Magnetotactic Bacteria Using a Pulsed Magnetic Field
Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
  • Ietje Penninga, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
  • Hendrik de Waard, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
  • Bruce M. Moskowitz, University of Minnesota
  • Dennis A. Bazylinski, Northeastern University
  • Richard B. Frankel, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Publication Date
9-1-1995
Abstract

We describe pulsed-magnetic-field remanence measurements of individual, killed, undisrupted cells of three different types of magnetotactic bacteria. The measurement technique involved the observation of aligned, individual magnetotactic bacteria with a light microscope as they were subjected to magnetic pulses of increasing amplitude. We show that for MM cells, the hysteresis loop is square, with the coercive field variable from cell to cell. This is consistent with just two magnetization states for the single chain of magnetite particles. For MR and MMP cells, the hysteresis loops are not square, indicating that there are several different magnetization states, and that individual cells can be demagnetized. The coercive fields in the MR and MMP cells are less variable than for the MM cells.

Disciplines
Citation Information
Ietje Penninga, Hendrik de Waard, Bruce M. Moskowitz, Dennis A. Bazylinski, et al.. "Remanence Measurements on Individual Magnetotactic Bacteria Using a Pulsed Magnetic Field" Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials Vol. 149 Iss. 3 (1995) p. 279 - 286
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/rfrankel/41/