**5. Dielectrophoretic electromagnetic field induced effects on vesicle coalescence**

Five millimeters of a 3 mM hypotonic saline solution prepared with laboratorygrade deionized water and molecular biology grade NaCl (Promega, Madison, WI) were placed on a glass slide in a 20°F freezer for 30 minutes. This same hypotonic saline solution was then exposed to a non-uniform 2.5 ampere DEP EMF field using a compilation of 6 stainless steel rings around a center copper ring for 30 minutes and five millimeters of this DEP EMF treated solution was also placed on a slide in a 20°F freezer for 30 minutes. The control and treated slides were then examined under 40x light microscopy and micrographs were immediately taken. Upon analysis of the micrographs, there were noticeable differences in the bubble/vesicle coalescence between the frozen hypotonic saline solution that was not exposed to the DEP EMF and the frozen hypotonic solution that was exposed to the DEP EMF (**Figure 4**). The effects of viscosity on bubble/vesicle coalescence have been studied both experimentally and numerically and a higher viscosity in liquids showed an increase in coalescence time and characteristics and when compared to lower viscosity liquids [22, 28, 29]. Upon analysis of the micrographs, there were noticeable differences in the bubble/vesicle coalescence between the frozen hypotonic saline solution that was not exposed to the DEP EMF and the frozen hypotonic solution that was exposed to the DEP EMF (**Figure 4**). This characteristic change in vesicle

organization in the presence of the DEP EMF may correspond to a change in how water and ions orient to each other (**Figures 2** and **3**).
