[Electroretention of microorganisms]

Water is liberated from microbial cells in the course of flow of microbial suspensions through dielectrics and conductors of the second kind in electric field. Microorganisms are retained by electrophoresis and dielectrophoresis, polarization of the cells and particles, electrostatic, dipole-dipole interaction between them. When the current is switched off, the cells are liberated and washed out with small volumes of water, and the regenerated material may be used several times for separating microbial cells from fluids. Effectiveness of retainment of microorganisms increases with an increase in voltage and a decrease in the flow rate.