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Qi X, Liu X, Gu Y, Liang P. Whole-cell biophotovoltaic systems for renewable energy generation: A systematic analysis of existing knowledge. Bioelectrochemistry 2024; 158:108695. [PMID: 38531227 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2024.108695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
The development of carbon-neutral fuel sources is an essential step in addressing the global fossil energy crisis. Whole-cell biophotovoltaic systems (BPVs) are a renewable, non-polluting energy-generating device that utilizes oxygenic photosynthetic microbes (OPMs) to split water molecules and generate bioelectricity under the driving of light energy. Since 2006, BPVs have been widely studied, with the order magnitudes of power density increasing from 10-4 mW/m2 to 103 mW/m2. This review examines the extracellular electron transfer (EET) mechanisms and regulation techniques of BPVs from biofilm to external environment. It is found that the EET of OPMs is mainly mediated by membrane proteins, with terminal oxidase limiting the power output. Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and Chlorella vulgaris are two species that produce high power density in BPVs. The use of metal nanoparticles mixing, 3D pillar array electrodes, microfluidic technology, and transient-state operation models can significantly enhance power density. Challenges and potential research directions are discussed, including a deeper analysis of EET mechanisms and dynamics, the development of modular devices, integration of multiple regulatory components, and the exploration of novel BPV technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Qi
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xinning Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yuyi Gu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Peng Liang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
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2
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Ryzhkov N, Colson N, Ahmed E, Pobedinskas P, Haenen K, Braun A, Janssen PJ. Electric Polarization-Dependent Absorption and Photocurrent Generation in Limnospira indica Immobilized on Boron-Doped Diamond. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:32949-32961. [PMID: 39100327 PMCID: PMC11292817 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c03925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
We present the change of light absorption of cyanobacteria in response to externally applied electrical polarization. Specifically, we studied the relation between electrical polarization and changes in light absorbance for a biophotoelectrode assembly comprising boron-doped diamond as semiconducting electrode and live Limnospira indicaPCC 8005 trichomes embedded in either polysaccharide (agar) or conductive conjugated polymer (PEDOT-PSS) matrices. Our study involves the monitoring of cyanobacterial absorbance and the measurement of photocurrents at varying wavelengths of illumination for switched electric fields, i.e., using the bioelectrode either as an anode or as cathode. We observed changes in the absorbance characteristics, indicating a direct causal relationship between electrical polarization and absorbing properties of L. indica. Our finding opens up a potential avenue for optimization of the performance of biophotovoltaic devices through controlled polarization. Furthermore, our results provide fundamental insights into the wavelength-dependent behavior of a bio photovoltaic system using live cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay Ryzhkov
- Empa.
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory
for High Performance Ceramics, Dübendorf CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Nora Colson
- Empa.
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory
for High Performance Ceramics, Dübendorf CH-8600, Switzerland
- Institute
for Materials Research (IMO), Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 1, Diepenbeek B-3590, Belgium
- IMOMEC,
IMEC vzw, Wetenschapspark
1, Diepenbeek B-3590, Belgium
| | - Essraa Ahmed
- Institute
for Materials Research (IMO), Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 1, Diepenbeek B-3590, Belgium
- IMOMEC,
IMEC vzw, Wetenschapspark
1, Diepenbeek B-3590, Belgium
| | - Paulius Pobedinskas
- Institute
for Materials Research (IMO), Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 1, Diepenbeek B-3590, Belgium
- IMOMEC,
IMEC vzw, Wetenschapspark
1, Diepenbeek B-3590, Belgium
| | - Ken Haenen
- Institute
for Materials Research (IMO), Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 1, Diepenbeek B-3590, Belgium
- IMOMEC,
IMEC vzw, Wetenschapspark
1, Diepenbeek B-3590, Belgium
| | - Artur Braun
- Empa.
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory
for High Performance Ceramics, Dübendorf CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Paul J. Janssen
- Institute
for Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian
Nuclear Research Centre, Mol B-2400, Belgium
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3
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Chua ST, Smith A, Murthy S, Murace M, Yang H, Schertel L, Kühl M, Cicuta P, Smith AG, Wangpraseurt D, Vignolini S. Light management by algal aggregates in living photosynthetic hydrogels. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316206121. [PMID: 38805271 PMCID: PMC11161743 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316206121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Rapid progress in algal biotechnology has triggered a growing interest in hydrogel-encapsulated microalgal cultivation, especially for the engineering of functional photosynthetic materials and biomass production. An overlooked characteristic of gel-encapsulated cultures is the emergence of cell aggregates, which are the result of the mechanical confinement of the cells. Such aggregates have a dramatic effect on the light management of gel-encapsulated photobioreactors and hence strongly affect the photosynthetic outcome. To evaluate such an effect, we experimentally studied the optical response of hydrogels containing algal aggregates and developed optical simulations to study the resultant light intensity profiles. The simulations are validated experimentally via transmittance measurements using an integrating sphere and aggregate volume analysis with confocal microscopy. Specifically, the heterogeneous distribution of cell aggregates in a hydrogel matrix can increase light penetration while alleviating photoinhibition more effectively than in a flat biofilm. Finally, we demonstrate that light harvesting efficiency can be further enhanced with the introduction of scattering particles within the hydrogel matrix, leading to a fourfold increase in biomass growth. Our study, therefore, highlights a strategy for the design of spatially efficient photosynthetic living materials that have important implications for the engineering of future algal cultivation systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sing Teng Chua
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Alyssa Smith
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Swathi Murthy
- Marine Biology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, HelsingørDK-3000, Denmark
| | - Maria Murace
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Han Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100040, China
| | | | - Michael Kühl
- Marine Biology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, HelsingørDK-3000, Denmark
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Alison G. Smith
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Wangpraseurt
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093-0205
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093-0205
| | - Silvia Vignolini
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
- Sustainable and Bio-inspired Materials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam14476, Germany
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4
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Wei X, Reddy VS, Gao S, Zhai X, Li Z, Shi J, Niu L, Zhang D, Ramakrishna S, Zou X. Recent advances in electrochemical cell-based biosensors for food analysis: Strategies for sensor construction. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 248:115947. [PMID: 38181518 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Owing to their advantages such as great specificity, sensitivity, rapidity, and possibility of noninvasive and real-time monitoring, electrochemical cell-based biosensors (ECBBs) have been a powerful tool for food analysis encompassing the areas of nutrition, flavor, and safety. Notably, the distinctive biological relevance of ECBBs enables them to mimic physiological environments and reflect cellular behaviors, leading to valuable insights into the biological function of target components in food. Compared with previous reviews, this review fills the current gap in the narrative of ECBB construction strategies. The review commences by providing an overview of the materials and configuration of ECBBs, including cell types, cell immobilization strategies, electrode modification materials, and electrochemical sensing types. Subsequently, a detailed discussion is presented on the fabrication strategies of ECBBs in food analysis applications, which are categorized based on distinct signal sources. Lastly, we summarize the merits, drawbacks, and application scope of these diverse strategies, and discuss the current challenges and future perspectives of ECBBs. Consequently, this review provides guidance for the design of ECBBs with specific functions and promotes the application of ECBBs in food analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoou Wei
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China; Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore
| | - Vundrala Sumedha Reddy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore
| | - Shipeng Gao
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Xiaodong Zhai
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Zhihua Li
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Jiyong Shi
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Lidan Niu
- Key Laboratory of Condiment Supervision Technology for State Market Regulation, Chongqing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Chongqing 401121, PR China
| | - Di Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China; Key Laboratory of Condiment Supervision Technology for State Market Regulation, Chongqing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Chongqing 401121, PR China.
| | - Seeram Ramakrishna
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore.
| | - Xiaobo Zou
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China.
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