title: Electro-Fermentation - Merging Electrochemistry with Fermentation in Industrial Applications.
abstract: Electro-fermentation (EF) merges traditional industrial fermentation with electrochemistry. An imposed electrical field influences the fermentation environment and microbial metabolism in either a reductive or oxidative manner. The benefit of this approach is to produce target biochemicals with improved selectivity, increase carbon efficiency, limit the use of additives for redox balance or pH control, enhance microbial growth, or in some cases enhance product recovery. We discuss the principles of electrically driven fermentations and how EF can be used to steer both pure culture and microbiota-based fermentations. An overview is given on which advantages EF may bring to both existing and innovative industrial fermentation processes, and which doors might be opened in waste biomass utilization towards added-value biorefineries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science (DiSAA), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schievano
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science (DiSAA), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pepé Sciarria
authors.affiliation: Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karolien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vanbroekhoven
authors.affiliation: Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium.
authors.forename: Heleen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Wever
authors.affiliation: LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Facultat de Ciències. C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17071 Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sebastià
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.affiliation: Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET) - FBE - Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET) - FBE - Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Korneel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rabaey
authors.affiliation: Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium. Electronic address: deepak.pant@vito.be.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pant
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D005285:Fermentation; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
keywords: biorefinery; electro-fermentation; extracellular electron transfer; industrial fermentation; microbial electrochemical technologies