title: Microbial fuel cell biosensor for in situ assessment of microbial activity.
abstract: Microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based sensing was explored to provide useful information for the development of an approach to in situ monitoring of substrate concentration and microbial respiration rate. The ability of a MFC to provide meaningful information about in situ microbial respiration and analyte concentration was examined in column systems, where Geobacter sulfurreducens used an external electron acceptor (an electrode) to metabolize acetate. Column systems inoculated with G. sulfurreducens were operated with influent media at varying concentrations of acetate and monitored for current generation. Current generation was mirrored by bulk phase acetate concentration, and a correlation (R(2)=0.92) was developed between current values (0-0.30 mA) and acetate concentrations (0-2.3 mM). The MFC-system was also exposed to shock loading (pulses of oxygen), after which electricity production resumed immediately after media flow recommenced, underlining the resilience of the system and allowing for additional sensing capacity. Thus, the electrical signal produced by the MFC-system provided real-time data for electron donor availability and biological activity. These results have practical implications for development of a biosensor for inexpensive real-time monitoring of in situ bioremediation processes, where MFC technology provides information on the rate and nature of biodegradation processes.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Geotechnical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli Strasse 15, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tront
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fortner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plötze
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Puzrin
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000295:instrumentation; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D045302:Geobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity