Measurement of cell volume loss in the liquid region preceding an advancing phase change interface

It is well understood that the solidification of a solution results in a redistribution of solute in the liquid zone. For the freezing of suspensions of cells it is anticipated that accumulation of solute in the region leading a growing ice phase will cause an osmotic response in cells before the ice phase reaches the cells. To measure this phenomenon in a specific algal species, the volume changes in Chlorococcum texanum during freezing were studied using directional solidification cryomicroscopy. The relative cell volume was tracked continuously as a function of temperature and position as cells encountered the moving phase front. The loss of cell volume was measured in the liquid region containing concentrated solute ahead of the growing solid phase.