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Toxicity monitoring is essential for the protection of public health and ecological safety. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) sensors demonstrated good potential in toxicity monitoring, but current MFC sensors can only be used for anaerobic water monitoring. In this study, a novel gas diffusion (GD)-biocathode sensing element was fabricated using a simple method. The GD-biocathode MFC sensor can directly be used for formaldehyde detection (from 0.0005% to 0.005%) in both aerobic and anaerobic water bodies. Electrochemical analysis indicated that the response by the sensor was caused by the toxic inhibition to the microbial activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This study for the first time demonstrated that the GD-biocathode MFC sensor has a detection limit of 20 ppm for formaldehyde and can be used to monitor air pollution. Selective sensitivity to formaldehyde was not achieved as the result of using a mixed-culture, which confirms that it can serve as a generic biosensor for monitoring gaseous pollutants. This study expands the realm of knowledge for MFC sensor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional microbial fuel cell (MFC) sensor with bioanode as sensing element delivers limited sensitivity to toxicity monitoring, restricted application to only anaerobic and organic rich water body, and increased potential fault warning to the combined shock of organic matter/toxicity. In this study, the biocathode for oxygen reduction reaction was employed for the first time as the sensing element in MFC sensor for toxicity monitoring. The results shown that the sensitivity of MFC sensor with biocathode sensing element (7.4±2.0 to 67.5±4.0 mA% −1 cm −2 ) was much greater than that showed by bioanode sensing element (3.4±1.5 to 5.5±0.7 mA% −1 cm −2 ). The biocathode sensing element achieved the lowest detection limit reported to date using MFC sensor for formaldehyde detection (0.0005%), while the bioanode was more applicable for higher concentration (>0.0025%). There was a quicker response of biocathode sensing element with the increase of conductivity and dissolved oxygen (DO). The biocathode sensing element made the MFC sensor directly applied to clean water body monitoring, e.g., drinking water and reclaimed water, without the amending of background organic matter, and it also decreased the warning failure when challenged by a combined shock of organic matter/toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As serious water ecological pollution caused by toxicant leakage occurs frequently, early-warning for toxicity presented in water environment attracts increasing attentions as it saves time to retain water safety and human health. Electrochemically active biofilm (EAB) sensor is a promising device for in situ real-time water toxicity early-warning. To improve the sensitivity of EAB sensor particularly for low-concentration toxicity warning, this study employed titanium mesh (TiM) as the anode to construct an EAB sensor. Compared to traditional EAB sensor with carbon felt (CF) anode, the sensitivity of the TiM sensor was increased up to 37.4 times. The effects of mesh size (TiM50, TiM100, TiM150) and operation mode (flow-by and flow-through) on the sensitivity of TiM sensors were further investigated. Results showed the sensor with TiM100 anode had the highest inhibition rate (IR) in flow-by mode, attributed to low charge transfer resistance (R ct) and fast mass transfer. Flow-through operation could further enhance TiM100 sensor's sensitivity from flow-by operation and succeeded to signal as low as 0.0025% formaldehyde, the lowest so far tested in EAB sensor with sensing anode. Multiple toxicity shocks on flow-through TiM100 sensor revealed its good recoverability towards all tested formaldehyde concentration from 0.01% to 0.0025%, during which electrochemical activity degradation and biomass accumulation partially impaired the repeatability. This work highlights the great improvement of EAB sensors by utilizing titanium mesh as EAB carrier and provides a reference for the practical application of metallic materials for EAB sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of real-time online warning system for toxicity materials is important to ensure the safety of water supply. This study for the first time constructs luminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri) biofilm to deliver both electrical and optical real-time response for Cu(II) toxic shock in a bioelectrochemical system (BES) sensor. Compared to biocathode, bioanode was more suitable as sensitive elements. With three tested concentrations of Cu(II), i.e., 1 mg/L, 3 mg/L and 6 mg/L, electrical signals were raised. But optical signal failed to respond to the lowest concentration, suggesting that electrical signal then was produced by chemical reaction of Cu(II) on the electrode surface. For 3 mg/L and 6 mg/L Cu(II) shock, more rapid optical signals were observed than electrical signal, indicating that both the biofilm's surface and inner was affected. In addition, high concentration of Cu(II) toxic as 6 mg/L caused irreversible damage in the biosensor as there were great fluctuation in the recovery curve and large recovery ratio up to -10.39% for optical signal. These results provided a comparison between optical and electrical signals simultaneously produced by a biosensor and visual evidences for better understanding of the toxicity process in the biosensor. Image 1 • Luminescent bacteria biofilm was constructed as a sensing element. • Simultaneously production of photons and electrons by Vibrio fischeri biofilm. • Compatible Vibrio fischeri biofilm as bioanode rather than biocathode with biosensor. • Both optical and electrical signals respond to Cu2+ shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers believe that adding conductive mediums in electrochemically active biofilms (EABs) would improve the sensitivity of EAB-based biosensor for real-time water quality early-warning through facilitating the extracellular electron transfer (EET), which has been hardly evidenced mostly because naturally formed EABs employed in previous biosensor studies were recognized distinct and incapable of delivering comparable electrical signals. By preparing artificial EABs where Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 was encapsulated in sodium alginate (SA), this study solved how polypyrrole (PPy) as conductive medium would affect the sensitivity of EAB-based biosensor, as well as mass transfer of toxicant during this process. Different mass ratios (0.125:1, 0.25:1 and 1:1) of PPy over SA were tested, and the sensitivity promoted by 20%, 15% and 6%, respectively. Results indicated that a small amount of PPy addition (PPy: SA = 0.125: 1 in mass ratio) was more effective to increase the biosensor's sensitivity compared to larger amount of PPy employed in EAB. This was when improved conductivity introduced by PPy would dominate in affecting the sensitivity over contrarily weakened mass transfer in the meantime. • Artificial electroactive biofilms containing polypyrrole were prepared. • Polypyrrole increases conductivity as well as decreases mass transfer. • Small amount of polypyrrole better increased biosensor's sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]