Coupling anaerobic bacteria and microbial fuel cells as whole-cell environmental biosensors
Lara T Bereza-Malcolm A and Ashley E Franks A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology
School of Life Sciences
College of Science, Health and Engineering
La Trobe University
Melbourne, Vic. 3086, Australia
B Tel: +61 3 9479 2206, Email: a.franks@latrobe.edu.au
Microbiology Australia 36(3) 129-132 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA15045
Published: 14 August 2015
Abstract
Microorganisms have evolved to respond to environmental factors allowing adaption to changing conditions and minimisation of potential harm. Microbes have the ability to sense a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors including nutrient levels, analytes, temperature, contaminants, community quorum, and metabolic activity. Due to this ability, the use of whole-cell microbes as biosensors is attractive as it can provide real-time in situ information on biologically relevant factors through qualitative and quantitative outputs. Interestingly, many of the environments where these biosensors will be of most of use lack oxygen; and as such the use of anaerobic microorganisms to sense environmental factors with easy to use outputs is essential. Furthermore, sensing of contaminants can be linked with bioremediation of known contaminated environments, allowing a flexible, multiplexed device.
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