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Analysis of ethanol in fermentation samples by a robust nanocomposite-based microbial biosensor

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Abstract

A robust microbial biosensor was constructed from a bionanocomposite prepared by a direct mixing of bacterial cells of Gluconobacter oxydans and carbon nanotubes with ferricyanide employed as a mediator for enhanced sensitivity of ethanol oxidation. A successful integration of the device into flow injection analysis mode of operation provided a high sensitivity of detection of (74 ± 2.7) μA mM−1 cm−2, a low detection limit of 5 μM and a linear range from 10 μM up to 1 mM. A short response time of the biosensor allowed a sample throughput of 67 h−1 at 0.3 ml min−1. The biosensor exhibited high operational stability with a decrease in the biosensor response of 1.7% during 43 h of continuous operation. The device was used to analyse ethanol in fermentation samples with a good agreement with a HPLC method.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support from SAV-FM-EHP-2008-04-04 and from VEGA 2/0127/10 was acknowledged. This contribution/publication was the result of the project implementation: Centre for materials, layers and systems for applications and chemical processes under extreme conditions—stage II, supported by the Research and Development Operational Program funded by the ERDF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Glycobiotechnology, Center for Glycomics, Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 38, Bratislava, SK, Slovakia

    Jana Šefčovičová, Jaroslav Filip, Vladimír Mastihuba, Peter Gemeiner & Jan Tkac

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  1. Jana Šefčovičová
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  2. Jaroslav Filip
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  3. Vladimír Mastihuba
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  4. Peter Gemeiner
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  5. Jan Tkac
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Correspondence to Jan Tkac.

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Šefčovičová, J., Filip, J., Mastihuba, V. et al. Analysis of ethanol in fermentation samples by a robust nanocomposite-based microbial biosensor. Biotechnol Lett 34, 1033–1039 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-0875-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-0875-x

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