title: Toxicity response of electroactive microbial biofilms--a decisive feature for potential biosensor and power source applications.
abstract: Herein, we investigate the effect of exemplary biocides on wastewater-derived electroactive microbial biofilms. We show that the current response of these biofilms as a measure of their bioelectrocatalytic performance is not affected by the presence of antimicrobial compounds such as the sulfonamide-based antibiotics sulfamethaxozole and sulfadiazin, the disinfectant chloramine B and the metal ions Cu(2+), Ag(+), Pb(2+), and Hg(2+), even at concentrations an order of magnitude higher than average concentrations of these compounds in wastewaters. In contrast to the electroactive biofilms, planktonic cells of the same origin, studied in a mediator-based microbial fuel cell, are massively affected by the presence of the antimicrobial agents.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecological Chemistry, Sustainable Chemistry and Energy Research, TU Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Harnisch
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002700:Chloramines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010933:Plankton / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013411:Sulfadiazine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002700:Chloramines; D004202:Disinfectants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D013411:Sulfadiazine; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C030263:chloramine-B; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides