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Testing a prototype pulse generator for a continuous flow system and its use for E. coli inactivation and microalgae
Karel Flisar1, Sasa Haberl Meglic1, Jernej Morelj2
1University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Laboratory of Biocybernetics, Trzaska 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Bioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|April 10, 2014
Summary
Continuous pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment effectively inactivates E. coli and extracts microalgae lipids. This flow system offers a promising alternative to traditional methods for pathogen inactivation and bioprocessing.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microbiology
- Bioprocess Engineering
Background:
- Electroporation is utilized for pathogen inactivation and substance extraction from microorganisms.
- Large-scale flow systems are increasingly employed in these applications.
- Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) offer a non-thermal method for cell membrane permeabilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a continuous flow pulse generator for Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatment.
- To assess the efficacy of PEF for Escherichia coli inactivation in a flow system.
- To investigate the application of continuous flow PEF for microalgae lipid extraction.
Main Methods:
- A continuous flow system was developed for PEF treatment.
- Flow rate was controlled to ensure a defined number of pulses per bacterial cell.
- Lipid extraction from Chlorella vulgaris was performed using the PEF flow system and compared to conventional methods.
Main Results:
- PEF flow treatment demonstrated effective E. coli inactivation, comparable to batch cuvette systems.
- The number of pulses directly correlated with the extent of bacterial inactivation.
- Continuous flow electroporation directly ruptured microalgae cells in broth, allowing for lipid skimming.
- An initial oil yield of 50% was achieved compared to organic solvent extraction.
Conclusions:
- Continuous flow PEF is a viable method for large-scale E. coli inactivation.
- PEF offers an efficient, solvent-free approach for microalgae lipid extraction.
- This technology streamlines bioprocessing by bypassing multiple conventional extraction stages.
