TheAceticAcidanalyserformattestkitissuitableforthespecificmeasurementandanalysisofaceticacid(acetate)inbeveragesandfoodproducts.Oncalibration,thepreparedreagentislinearto>28microgramsofaceticacidpermLofassaysolution.
Grapeandwineanalysis:Oenologiststoexploitadvancedtestkits.
Charnock,S.C.&McCleary,B.V.(2005).RevuedesEnology,117,1-5.
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Itiswithoutdoubtthattestingplaysapivotalrolethroughoutthewholeofthevinificationprocess.Toproducethebestposs
IBLequalitywineandtominimiseprocessproblemssuchas“stuck”fermentationortroublesomeinfections,itisnowrecognisedthatifpossibletestingshouldbeginpriortoharvestingofthegrapesandcontinuethroughtobottling.Tr
ADItionalmethodsofwineanalysisareoftenexpensive,timeconsuming,requireeitherelaborateequipmentorspecialistexpertiseandfrequentlylackaccuracy.However,enzymaticbio-analysisenablestheaccuratemeasurementofthevastmajorityofanalytesofinteresttothewinemaker,usingjustonepieceofapparatus,thespectrophotometer(
seepreviousissueNo.116foradetailedtechnicalreview).Grapejuiceandwineareamenabletoenzymatictestingasbeingliquidstheyarehomogenous,easytomanipulate,andcangenerallybeanalysedwithoutanysamplepreparation.
Megazyme“advanced”winetestkitsgeneralcharacteristicsandvalidation.
Charnock,S.J.,McCleary,B.V.,Daverede,C.&Gallant,P.(2006).ReveuedesOenologues,120,1-5.
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ManyoftheenzymatictestkitsareofficialmethodsofprestigiousorganisationssuchastheAssociationofOfficialAnalyticalChemicals(AOAC)andtheAmericanAssociationofCerealChemists(AACC)inresponsetotheinterestfromoenologists.Megazymedecidedtouseitslonghistoryofenzymaticbio-analysistomakeasignificantcontributiontothewineindustry,bythedevelopmentofarangeofadvancedenzymatictestkits.Thistaskhasnowbeensuccessfullycompletedthroughthestrategicandcomprehensiveprocessofidentifyinglimitationsofexistingenzymaticbio-analysistestkitswheretheyoccurred,andthenusingadvancedtechniques,suchasmolecular
BIOLOGy(
photo1),torapidlyovercomethem.Noveltestkitshavealsobeendevelopedforanalytesofemerginginteresttotheoenologist,suchasyeastavailablenitrogen(
YAN;seepages2-3ofissue117article),orwherepreviouslyenzymesweresimplyeithernotavailable,orweretooexpensivetoemploy,suchasforD-mannitolanalysis.
Microbialbioanodeswithhighsalinitytoleranceformicrobialfuelcellsandmicrobialelectrolysiscells.
Rousseau,R.,Dominguez-Benetton,X.,Délia,M.L.&Bergel,A.(2013).
ElectRochemistryCommunications,33,1-4.
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Increasingtheconductivityoftheelectrolytesusedinmicrobialelectrochemicalsystemsisanessentialprerequisitetothelarge-scalesuccessofthesetechnologies.Microbialbioanodesformedfromasaltmarshinoculumunderconstantacetatefeedinggeneratedupto85A•m-2inmediacontaining776mMNaCl(45g•L-1,1.5timesthesalinityofseawater).Thesevalueswerethehighestsalinitiesacceptedbyamicrobialanodesofarandthehighestcurrentdensitiesreportedwithfeltgraphiteelectrodes.
Theeffectofpathogenreductiontechnology(Mirasol)onplateletqualitywhentreatedinadditivesolutionwithlowplasmacarryover.
Johnson,L.,Winter,K.M.,Reid,S.,Hartkopf‐Theis,T.,Marschner,S.,Goodrich,R.P.&Marks,D.C.(2011).Voxsanguinis,101(3),208-214.
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BackgroundandObjectives:Pathogenreductiontechnologies(PRT)forplateletsarenowcompatiblewithbothplasmaandplateletadditivesolutions(PAS).TheaimofthisstudywastoexaminetheeffectofPRTontheplateletstoragelesion,inthepresenceofPASwithlowplasmacarryover.
MaterialsandMethods:PRT-treated(Mirasol)anduntreatedbuffycoat-derivedplateletconcentratespreparedin28%plasma/PAS-IIIMwereevaluatedusing
invitrocellqualityparametersondays1,2,5,and7post-collection.
Results:Atday5,therewerenosignificantdifferencesbetweencontrolandPRTtreatedplateletsforswirl,vi
ABIlity,pO
2,pCO
2,meanplateletvolumeandadenosinediphosphate-inducedaggregation.PRTtreatmentdidnotaffectthefunctionalintegrityofthemitochondria.However,PRTresultedinadecreaseinpHandenhancementofplateletglycolysisandactivation,evidencedbyincreasedglucoseconsumptionandlactateproductionrates,increasedexpressionofCD62P,CD63,annexinVstainingandincreasedsecretionofcytokines(
P<0•05).=""hypotonic=""shock=""response=""and=""aggregation=""in=""response=""to=""collagen=""were=""also=""significantly=""reduced=""in=""prt=""treated=""platelets="">
P<0•05).="">
Conclusion:DespitetheobserveddifferencesinplateletmetabolismandactivationobservedfollowingPRTtreatmentinPASandlowplasmacarryover,theresultssuggestthattreatmentandstorageofplateletsinPASisnomoredetrimentaltoplateletsthantreatmentandstorageinplasma.
Invitroassessmentofbuffy‐coatderivedplateletcomponentssUSPendedinSSP+treatedwiththeINTERCEPTBloodsystem.
Johnson,L.,Loh,Y.S.,Kwok,M.&Marks,D.C.(2013).TransfusionMedicine,23(2),121-129.
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Background:TheINTERCEPTBloodSystemusesamotosalen-HClandUVAlighttocross-linkDNAandRNA,therebyinhibitingpathogenreplication.Althoughpreviousstudieshaveshownthatthistreatmentaltersinvitroplateletquality,moststudieshaveassessedapheresisplateletsorplateletspooledfrom5or6donors.InAustralia,plateletsarepreparedusingbuffy-coatsfrom4donors,withSSP+andhavelowerplasmacarryoverthanrecommendedbythemanufacturer(32–47%).Assuch,itiscurrentlyunknownwhethertheseplateletconcentratesaresuitableforINTERCEPTtreatment.Materialsandmethods:Plateletconcentrateswerepreparedbypoolingfourbuffy-coatswithSSP+,resultingin30%plasmacarryover.Twoplateletunitswerepooledandsplittogeneratepairedunits,withoneunittreatedwiththeINTERCEPTSystem(n = 6),whilsttheotherremaineduntreated(n = 6).Allunitswerestoredforsevendaysat22°Cwithagitation.Results:INTERCEPTtreatmentresultedin10•4 ± 4•3%lossofplatelets,butdidnotsignificantlyaffectthefunctionalintegrityofmitochondria.INTERCEPT-treatedplateletsdemonstratedadecreasedpH,acceleratedlactateproductionandglucoseconsumption,aswellashighersurfaceexpressionandincreasedsecretionofP-selectinandreducedcollagen-inducedaggregation.Thesechangeswereparticularlyevidentfromday5ofstorage.Conclusion:TheobservedincreaseinplateletglycolysisfollowingINTERCEPTtreatmentisconsistentwithpreviousliteraturereports.Importantly,theinvitrochangeswerelessmarkedthanpreviouslyreportedindicatingthattheplateletssuspendedinSSP+withreducedplasmacarryoverareofsuitableinvitroqualityfollowingINTERCEPTtreatmentandstorage.
Epistasisandfrequencydependenceinfluencethefitnessofanadaptivemutationinadiversifyinglineage.
LeGac,M.&Doebeli,M.(2010).MolecularEcology,19(12),2430-2438.
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Theopportunityforamutationtoinvadeapopulationcandramaticallyvarydependingonthecontextinwhichthismutationoccurs.Suchcontextdependenceisdifficulttodocumentasitrequirestheabilitytomeasurehowamutationaffectsphenotypesandfitnessandtomanipulatethecontextinwhichthemutationoccurs.Weidentifiedamutationinageneencodingaglobalregulatorinoneoftwoecotypesthatdivergedfromacommonancestorduring1200generationsofexperimentalevolution.Wereplacedtheancestralallelebythemutantallele,andviceversa,inseveralclonesisolatedduringthetimecourseoftheevolutionexperiment,andcomparedthephenotypeandfitnessofclonesisogenicexceptforthefocalmutation.Weshowthatthefitnessandphenotypeofthemutationarestronglyaffectedbyepistaticinteractionsbetweengenesinthesamegenome,aswellasbyfrequencydependentselectionresultingfrombioticinteractionsbetweenindividualsinthesamepopulation.Weconcludethatamongstthereplicatepopulationinwhichitspread,themutationweidentifiedisonlyadaptivewhenoccurringinspecificgenomesandcompetingwithspecificindividuals.Thisstudythusdemonstratesthattheopportunityforanadaptivemutationtospreadinanevolutionarylineagecanonlybeunderstoodinthelightofitsgenomicandcompetitiveenvironments.
ProductionoffunctionalizedbiopolyestergranulesbyrecombinantLactococcuslactis.
Mifune,J.,Grage,K.&Rehm,B.H.A.(2009).AppliedandEnvironmentalMicrobiology,75(14),4668-4675.
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Manybacteriaarenaturallycapableofaccumulatingbiopolyesterscomposedof3-hydroxyfattyacidsasintracellularinclusions,whichserveasstoragegranules.Recently,theseinclusionshavebeenconsideredasnano-/microbeadswithsurface-attachedproteins,whichcanbeengineeredtodisplayvariousprotein-basedfunctionsthataresuitableforbiotechnologicalandbiomedicalapplications.Inthisstudy,thefood-grade,generally-regarded-as-safegram-positiveorganismLactococcuslactiswasengineeredtorecombinantlyproducethebiopolyesterpoly(3-hydroxybutyrate)andtherespectiveintracellularinclusions.Thecodon-optimizedpolyhydroxybutyratebiosynthesisoperonphaCABfromCupriavidusnecatorwasexpressedusingthenisin-controlledgeneexpressionsystem.RecombinantL.lactisaccumulatedupto6%(wt/wt)poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)ofcellulardryweight.Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)granuleswereisolatedandanalyzedwithrespecttoboundproteinsusingbiochemicalmethodsandwithrespecttoshape/sizeusingtransmissionelectronmicroscopy.TheimmunoglobulinG(IgG)bindingZZdomainofStaphylococcusaureusproteinAwaschosenasanexemplaryfunctionalitytobedisplayedatthegranulesurfacebyfusingittotheNterminusofthegranule-associatedpoly(3-hydroxybutyrate)synthase.Thepresenceofthefusionproteinatthesurfaceofisolatedgranuleswasconfirmedbypeptidefingerprintingusingmatrix-assistedlaserdesorptionionization-timeofflight(massspectrometry).ThefunctionalityoftheZZdomain-displayinggranuleswasdemonstratedbyenzyme-linkedimmunosorbentassayandIgGaffinitypurification.Inbothassays,theZZbeadsfromrecombinantL.lactisperformedatleastequallytoZZbeadsfromEscherichiacoli.Overall,inthisstudyitwasshownthatrecombinantL.lactiscanbeusedtomanufactureendotoxin-freepoly(3-hydroxybutyrate)beadswithsurfacefunctionalitiesthataresuitableforbiomedicalapplications.
Acetylesterase-mediateddeacetylationofpectinimpairscellelongation,pollengermination,andplantreproduction.
Gou,J.Y.,Miller,L.M.,Hou,G.,Yu,X.H.,Chen,X.Y.&Liu,C.J.(2012).ThePlantCell,24(1),50-65.
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Pectinisamajorcomponentoftheprimarycellwallofhigherplants.SomegalacturonylresiduesinthebackboneofpectinaceouspolysaccharidesareoftenO-acetylatedattheC-2orC-3position,andtheresultingacetylesterschangedynamicallyduringthegrowthanddevelopmentofplants.Theprocessesinvolvebothenzymaticacetylationanddeacetylation.Throughgenomicsequenceanalysis,weidentifiedapectinacetylesterase(PAE1)fromblackcottonwood(
Populustrichocarpa).RecombinantPt
PAE1exhibitedpreferentialactivityinreleasingtheacetatemoietyfromsugarbeet(
Betavulgaris)andpotato(
Solanumtuberosum)pectin
invitro.OverexpressingPt
PAE1intobacco(
Nicotianatabacum)decreasedthelevelofacetylestersofpectinbutnotofxylan.Deacetylationengendereddifferentialchangesinthecompositionand/orstructureofcellwallpolysaccharidesthatsubsequentlyimpairedthecellularelongationoffloralstylesandfilaments,thegerminationofpollengrains,andthegrowthofpollentubes.Consequently,plantsoverexpressing
PAE1exhibitedseveremalesterility.Fur
Thermore,incontrasttotheconventionalview,
PAE1-mediateddeacetylationsubstantiallyloweredthedigestibilityofpectin.Ourdatasuggeststhatpectinacetylesterasefunctionsasanimportantstructuralregulatorinplantsbymodulatingtheprecisestatusofpectinacetylationtoaffecttheremodelingandphysiochemicalpropertiesofthecellwall"spolysaccharides,therebyaffectingcellextensibility.
Gardencompostinoculumleadstomicrobialbioanodeswithpotential-independentcharacteristics.
Cercado,B.,Byrne,N.,Bertrand,M.,Pocaznoi,D.,Rimboud,M.,Achouak,W.&Bergel,A.(2013).BioresourceTechnology,134,276-284.
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Gardencompostleachatewasusedtoformmicrobialbioanodesunderpolarizationat−0.4,−0.2and+0.1V/SCE.Currentdensitieswere6.3and8.9Am
-2onaverageat−0.4and+0.1V/SCErespectively,withacetate10mM.Thecatalyticcyclicvoltammetry(CV)showedsimilarelectrochemicalcharacteristicsforallbioanodesandindicatedthatthelowercurrentsrecordedat−0.4V/SCEwereduetotheslowerinterfacialelectrontransferrateatthispotential,consistentlywithconventionalelectrochemicalkinetics.RNA-andDNA-basedDGGEevidencedthatthethreedominantbacterialgroups
Geobacter,
Anaerophagaand
Pelobacterwereidenticalforallbioanodesanddidnotdependonthepolarizationpotential.Onlynon-turnoverCVsshoweddifferencesintheredoxequipmentofthebiofilms,thehighestpotentialpromotingmultipleelectrontransferpathways.Thisfirstdescriptionofapotential-independentelectroactivemicrobialcommunityopensuppromising
Prospectsforthedesignofstablebioanodesformicrobialfuelcells.
CombinedintracellularnitrateandNIT2effectsonstoragecarbohydratemetabolisminChlamydomonas.
Remacle,C.,Eppe,G.,Coosemans,N.,Fernandez,E.&Vigeolas,H.(2014).JournalofExperimentalBotany,65(1),23-33.
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Microalgaearereceivingincreasingattentionasalternativeproductionsystemsforrenewableenergysuchasbiofuel.ThephotosyntheticalgaChlamydomonasreinhardtiiiswidelyrecognizedasthemodelsystemtostudyallaspectsofalgalphysiology,includingthemolecularmechanismsunderlyingtheaccumulationofstarchandtriacylglycerol(TAG),whicharetheprecursorsofbiofuel.Allofthesepathwaysnotonlyrequireacarbon(C)supplybutalsoarestronglydependentonasourceofnitrogen(N)tosustainoptimalgrowthrateandbiomassproduction.InordertogainabetterunderstandingoftheregulationofCandNmetabolismsandtheaccumulationofstoragecarbohydrates,theeffectofdifferentNsources(NH4NO3andNH4+)onprimarymetabolismusingvariousmutantsimpairedineitherNIA1,NIT2orbothlociwasperformedbymetabolicanalyses.Thedatademonstratedthat,usingNH4NO3,nia1straindisplayedthemoststrikingphenotype,includinganinhibitionofgrowth,accumulationofintracellularnitrate,andstrongstarchandTAGaccumulation.ThemeasurementsofthedifferentCandNintermediatelevels(amino,organic,andfattyacids),togetherwiththedeterminationofacetateandNH4+remaininginthemedium,clearlyexcludedthehypothesisofaslowerNH4+andacetateassimilationinthismutantinthepresenceofNH4NO3.TheresultsprovideevidenceoftheimplicationofintracellularnitrateandNIT2inthecontrolofCpartitioningintodifferentstoragecarbohydratesundermixotrophicconditionsinChlamydomonas.Theunderlyingmechanismsandimplicationsforstrategiestoincreasebiomassyieldandstorageproductcompositioninoleaginousalgaearediscussed.
IndependentBenthicMicrobialFuelCellsPoweringSensorsandAcousticCommunicationswiththeMARSUnderwaterObservatory.
Schrader,P.S.,Reimers,C.E.,Girguis,P.,Delaney,J.,Doolan,C.,Wolf,M.&Green,D.(2016).JournalofAtmosphericandOceanicTechnology,33(3),607-617.
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Mostoceanographicinstrumentsontheseafloorhavenoconnectionswiththesurfaceandthereforehavetorunonbatteriesandstoredatauntilrecovery.Todemonstrateadevelopingtechnology,sensorsandacousticmodemswerepoweredwithenergyharvestedfromtheseafloor,anddatawererelayedacousticallyinnear–realtimetotheMontereyAcceleratedResearchSystem(MARS)observatoryinMontereyBay,California,andtosurfaceresearchvessels.MARSisacabledobservatoryindeepwater(~890m)attheedgeofMontereyCanyon.AnacousticmodemwasattachedtotheMARSnodeandconfiguredtosendoutcommandsto,andrelaydatareceivedfrom,remotemodems.Twobenthicmicrobialfuelcells(BMFCs)positionedapproximately0.5kmawayfromMARSsuppliedpowertotheremotemodemsandsensors.Attheirpeakperformance,theseBMFCsproducedcontinuouspowerdensitiesof~35mWm-2(footprintarea).Themodemsutilizedinthisstudycontainedanintegratedpowermanagementplatform(PMP)designedtomanageandstoretheelectricalenergygeneratedbyeachBMFCandtorecordBMFCperformanceparametersandsensordataonanhourlybasis.Temperatureandeitheroxygenorconductivitysensorswerechosenbecauseoftheircommonuseandenvironmentalrelevance.AcousticallytransmitteddatarecordsshowthattheBMFCsrenewedenergystoresandthattheoceanographicsensorsmeasureddissolvedoxygen,temperature,andconductivityreliablythroughouttheoperationallifeofeachBMFCsystem(~6months).Thesesystemsremainedinplaceformorethan12months.
Halotolerantbioanodes:Theappliedpotentialmodulatestheelectrochemicalcharacteristics,thebiofilmstructureandtheratioofthetwodominantgenera.
Rousseau,R.,Santaella,C.,Bonnafous,A.,Achouak,W.,Godon,J.J.,Delia,M.L.&Bergel,A.(2016).Bioelectrochemistry,112,24-32.
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Thedevelopmentofeconomically-efficientmicrobialelectrochemicaltechnologiesremainshinderedbythelowionicconductivityoftheculturemediausedastheelectrolyte.Toovercomethisdrawback,halotolerantbioanodesweredesignedwithsaltmarshsedimentusedastheinoculuminelectrolytescontainingNaClat30or45 g/L(ionicconductivity7.0or10.4 S·m-1).Thebioanodeswereformedatfourdifferentpotentials− 0.4,− 0.2,0.0and0.2 V/SCEtoidentifytheeffectontheelectrochemicalkineticparameters,thebiofilmstructuresandthecompositionofthemicrobialcommunities.Thebioanodesformedat− 0.4 V/SCEwerelargelydominatedbyMarinobacterspp.Voltammetryshowedthattheyprovidedhighercurrentsthantheotherbioanodesintherangeoflowpotentials,butthemaximumcurrentswerelimitedbythepoorsurfacecolonization.Thebioanodesformedat− 0.2,0.0and0.2 V/SCEshowedsimilarratiosofMarinobacterandDesulfuromonasspp.andhighervaluesofthemaximumcurrentdensity.Thecombinedanalysisofkineticparameters,biofilmstructureandbiofilmcompositionshowedthatMarinobacterspp.,whichensuredahigherelectrontransferrate,werepromisingspeciesforthedesignofhalotolerantbioanodes.ThechallengeisnowtoovercomeitslimitedsurfacecolonizationintheabsenceofDesulfuromonasspp.
Novelroleforcarbohydrateresponsiveelementbindingproteininthecontrolofethanolmetabolismandsusceptibilitytobingedrinking.
Marmier,S.,Dentin,R.,Daujat‐Chavanieu,M.,Guillou,H.,Bertrand‐Michel,J.,Gerbal‐Chaloin,S.,Girard,J.,Lotersztajn,S.&Postic,C.(2015).Hepatology,62(4),1086-1100.
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Carbohydrateresponsiveelementbindingprotein(ChREBP)iscentralfordenovofattyacidsynthesisunderphysiologicalconditionsandinthecontextofnonalcoholicfattyliverdisease.Weexploreditscontributiontoalcohol-inducedsteatosisinamousemodelofbingedrinkingasacuteethanol(EtOH)intoxicationhasbecomeanalarminghealthproblem.Within6hours,ChREBPacetylationanditsrecruitmentontotargetgenepromoterswereincreasedinliverofEtOH-fedmice.AcetylationofChREBPwasdependentonalcoholmetabolismbecauseinhibitionofalcoholdehydrogenase(ADH)activitybluntedChREBPEtOH-inducedacetylationinmousehepatocytes.Transfectionofanacetylation-defectivemutantofChREBP(ChREBPK672A)inHepG2cellsimpairedthestimulatoryeffectofEtOHonChREBPactivity.Importantly,ChREBPsilencingintheliverofEtOH-fedmicepreventedalcohol-inducedtriglycerideaccumulationthroughaninhibitionofthelipogenicpathwaybutalsoled,unexpectedly,tohypothermia,increasedbloodacetaldehydeconcentrations,andenhancedlethality.ThisphenotypewasassociatedwithimpairedhepaticEtOHmetabolismasaconsequenceofreducedADHactivity.WhiletheexpressionandactivityoftheNAD+dependentdeacetylasesirtuin1,aChREBP-negativetarget,weredown-regulatedintheliverofalcohol-fedmice,theywererestoredtocontrollevelsuponChREBPsilencing.Inturn,ADHacetylationwasreduced,suggestingthatChREBPregulatesEtOHmetabolismandADHactivitythroughitsdirectcontrolofsirtuin1expression.Indeed,whensirtuin1activitywasrescuedbyresveratrolpretreatmentinEtOH-treatedhepatocytes,asignificantdecreaseinADHproteincontentand/oracetylationwasobserved.Conclusion:ourstudydescribesanovelroleforChREBPinEtOHmetabolismandunravelsitsprotectiveeffectagainstsevereintoxicationinresponsetobingedrinking.
Comparisonofsyntheticmediumandwastewaterusedasdilutionmediumtodesignscalablemicrobialanodes:applicationtofoodwastetreatment.
Blanchet,E.,Desmond,E.,Erable,B.,Bridier,A.,Bouchez,T.&Bergel,A.(2015).BioresourceTechnology,185,106-115.
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Theobjectivewastoreplacesyntheticmediumbywastewaterasastrategytodesignlow-costscalablebioanodes.Theadditionofactivatedsludgewasnecessarytoformprimarybioanodesthatwerethenusedastheinoculumtoformthesecondarybioanodes.Bioanodesformedinsyntheticmediumwithacetate10 mMprovidedcurrentdensitiesof21.9 ± 2.1 A/m2,whilebioanodesformedinwastewatergave10.3 ± 0.1 A/m2.Thedifferencewasexplainedintermsofbiofilmstructure,electrochemicalkineticsandredoxchargecontentofthebiofilms.Inbothmedia,currentdensitieswerestraightforwardlycorrelatedwiththebiofilmenrichmentinGeobacteraceaebut,insidethisfamily,GeobactersulfurreducensandanunculturedGeobactersp.weredominantinthesyntheticmedium,whilegrowthofanotherGeobactersp.wasfavouredinwastewater.Finally,theprimary/secondaryproceduresucceededindesigningbioanodestotreatfoodwastesbyusingwastewaterasdilutionmedium,withcurrentdensitiesof7 ± 1.1 A/m2.
Influenceoftheelectrodesizeonmicrobialanodeperformance.
Oliot,M.,Chong,P.,Erable,B.&Bergel,A.(2017).ChemicalEngineeringJournal,327,218-227.
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Theperformanceofmicrobialfuelcellsandotherrelatedmicrobialelectrochemicalprocessesisseentodeteriorateseverelywhentheyarescaledup.Thiscrucialproblemisaddressedherebycomparingthekineticsofmicrobialanodeswithprojectedsurfaceareasof9and50cm2underwell-controlledelectrochemicalconditions.Themicrobialanodekineticswerecharacterizedbylowscanratevoltammetry.The9-cm2anodesshowedNernstianbehaviour,whilethe50-cm2anodesshowedsignificantlylowerperformance.Thedistributionoftheelectrostaticpotentialintheexperimentalset-upwasmodellednumerically.Themodelpredictedthegeneraltrendofthevoltammetrycurvesrecordedwiththe50-cm2anodeswell,showingthatpartoftheperformancedeteriorationwasduetoohmicdropandtonon-uniformityofthelocalpotentialovertheanodesurface.Furthermore,thebiofilmpresentedslightlydifferentelectrochemicalcharacteristicswhengrownonthe9-cm2or50-cm2anodes,andthedifferenceinlocalpotentialoverthe50-cm2anodesinducedspatialheterogeneityinbiofilmdevelopment.Theeffectoflocalpotentialonbiofilmcharacteristicswasanadditionalcauseofthelowerperformanceobtainedwiththe50-cm2anodes.Inthecurrentstateoftheart,thesoundestwaytodesignlarge-sizedmicrobialanodesistoadoptthedualmainaimofminimizingtheohmicdropwhilekeepingthemostuniformpossiblepotentialovertheelectrodesurface.Modellingpotentialdistributioninsidethereactorshouldmakeanessentialcontributiontothis.