High‐sensitivity flow cytometer for studying picoplankton

Abstract

We developed a relatively small, inexpensive, laser‐based flow cytometer suitable for studying marine picoplankton. The instrument uses an air‐cooled He‐Cd laser with low power consumption and a commercially available, square quartz flow cell. Sensitivity and resolution are sufficient to detect marine prochlorophytes in forward light scatter and autofluorescence and marine bacteria in forward light scatter and stained DNA fluorescence.