Living Composites of Electrospun Yeast Cells for Bioremediation and Ethanol Production.
The preparation of composites of living functional cells and polymers is a major challenge. We have fabricated such "living composites" by preparation of polymeric microtubes that entrap yeast cells. Our approach was the process of coaxial electrospinning in which a core containing the yeast was "spun" within a shell of nonbiodegradable polymer. We utilized the yeast Candida tropicalis, which was isolated from olive water waste. It is particularly useful since it degrades phenol and other natural polyphenols, and it is capable of accumulating ethanol. The electrospun yeast cells showed significant activity of bioremediation of phenol and produced ethanol, and, in addition, the metabolic processes remained active for a prolonged period. Comparison of electrospun cells to planktonic cells showed decreased cell activity; however, the olive water waste after treatment by the yeast was no longer toxic for Escherichia coli, suggesting that detoxification and prolonged viability and activity may outweigh the reduction of efficiency.
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School Ein-Karem , Jerusalem 9112102, Israel.
Ilya
I
Letnik
The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion Institute of Technology , Haifa 32000 Israel.
Ron
R
Avrahami
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School Ein-Karem , Jerusalem 9112102, Israel.
J Stefan
JS
Rokem
Macromolecular Chemistry II and Bayreuth Center for Colloids and Interfaces, University of Bayreuth , Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
Andreas
A
Greiner
The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion Institute of Technology , Haifa 32000 Israel.
Eyal
E
Zussman
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School Ein-Karem , Jerusalem 9112102, Israel.
Charles
C
Greenblatt
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D041022:Candida tropicalis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
D000431:Ethanol