Can electromagnetic standing waves be used to move particulates? As detailed in this paper:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/3941396_Ultrasonic_separation_of_suspended_particles
The researchers use the formation of acoustic standing waves to deposit particulates into the nodes of the waves. Can this me achieved with electromagnetic standing waves and if yes, what qualities  in terms of mass, volume or any material property in relation with the incident light should there be?
 A: Yes they can, see here for a review of optical dipole traps, page 19 for standing wave traps. The trapping potential for a focused retroretlected beam is
$$U\propto -\frac{\Gamma I}{\Delta}\cos^2(kz)\left(1-2\left(\frac{r}{\omega_0}\right)^2-\left(\frac{z}{z_R}\right)^2\right),$$
where $\Gamma$ is the damping rate, $I$ is the intensity of the beam at the focus, $\Delta=\omega_0-\omega$ the detuning of the beam at frequency $\omega$ from the transition $\omega_0$, $k$ is the wave number of light, $z$ the displacement along the direction of the beam from the focal point, $r$ the radial direction, $\omega_0$ the beam waist, and $z_R$ the Rayleigh length.
Optical forces can be used to trap atoms and small particles. For example optical tweezers are used to manipulate small particles. The relation between the material properties and potential depend on what you are trapping, the equation given above is derived for a two level atom. For larger particles the properties of the medium should be considered such as the refractive index.
