Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026
10:23
Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System
Published on: August 23, 2024
2.0K
Electro-Fermentation - Merging Electrochemistry with Fermentation in Industrial Applications
Andrea Schievano1, Tommy Pepé Sciarria1, Karolien Vanbroekhoven2
1Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science (DiSAA), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Trends in Biotechnology
|May 14, 2016
Summary
Electro-fermentation (EF) combines electrochemistry with industrial fermentation. This electrically driven process enhances biochemical production, improves efficiency, and supports waste biomass utilization in biorefineries.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Biochemical Engineering
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Industrial fermentation is a cornerstone of biochemical production.
- Controlling fermentation environments and microbial metabolism is crucial for efficiency.
- Traditional methods often require additives for redox and pH balance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the principles and applications of electro-fermentation (EF).
- To elucidate how electrical fields influence microbial metabolism and fermentation outcomes.
- To highlight the advantages of EF in industrial and innovative bioprocesses.
Main Methods:
- Applying an electrical field to influence fermentation environments.
- Utilizing electrochemical principles to steer microbial metabolism (reductive or oxidative).
- Investigating both pure culture and microbiota-based fermentations.
Main Results:
- EF can improve selectivity and carbon efficiency in biochemical production.
- It potentially reduces the need for additives for redox and pH control.
- EF can enhance microbial growth and product recovery.
Conclusions:
- Electro-fermentation offers a novel approach to optimize industrial fermentation.
- EF provides versatile control over fermentation processes for various applications.
- This technology opens new avenues for waste biomass valorization in biorefineries.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Fermentation
132.7K
Most eukaryotic organisms require oxygen to survive and function adequately. Such organisms produce large amounts of energy during aerobic respiration by metabolizing glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide and water. However, most eukaryotes can generate some energy in the absence of oxygen by anaerobic metabolism.
Fermentation is a type of metabolic process that occurs in the absence of oxygen, where organic molecules such as glucose are broken down to produce energy. During this process, the...
Fermentation is a type of metabolic process that occurs in the absence of oxygen, where organic molecules such as glucose are broken down to produce energy. During this process, the...
132.7K
01:23Microbial Fermentation
1.9K
Fermentation is a crucial anaerobic metabolic process that enables microbes to derive energy from sugar without relying on oxygen or an electron transport chain. This process is fundamental to various biological and industrial applications and is classified based on the metabolic products generated.Role of Pyruvate in FermentationPyruvate and its derivatives serve as key electron acceptors in fermentative pathways. The oxidation of NADH to regenerate NAD+ is essential for the continuation of...
1.9K
01:22Bioreactor Controls-III
21
Strain improvement is a foundational strategy in industrial microbiology aimed at maximizing microbial productivity, particularly because natural isolates typically yield commercially valuable products in very low concentrations. Although optimizing the culture medium and environmental conditions can improve yields, these adjustments are inherently limited by the organism’s genetic potential. As a result, the focus shifts toward genetic modifications to enhance biosynthetic capacity. The...
21
01:20Fates of Pyruvate
12.1K
Pyruvate is the end product of glycolysis, where glucose is oxidized to pyruvate, simultaneously reducing NAD+ to NADH. Two molecules of ATP are also produced by substrate-level phosphorylation.
In aerobic organisms, pyruvate is metabolized via the citric acid cycle to produce reduced coenzymes NADH and FADH2. These coenzymes are then oxidized in the electron transport chain to produce ATP and, in the process, regenerate the NAD+ and FAD. As seen in some cell types and organisms, fermentation...
In aerobic organisms, pyruvate is metabolized via the citric acid cycle to produce reduced coenzymes NADH and FADH2. These coenzymes are then oxidized in the electron transport chain to produce ATP and, in the process, regenerate the NAD+ and FAD. As seen in some cell types and organisms, fermentation...
12.1K
01:14Scale-Up Processes
5
The scale-up of microbial fermentation processes is essential in industrial biotechnology, allowing the transition from laboratory-scale experiments to commercial-scale production while aiming to maintain product yield and quality. This process requires meticulous adjustment of equipment design, process parameters, and contamination control strategies to accommodate increasing culture volumes.At the laboratory scale, cultures are typically maintained in 1 to 10-liter glass or autoclavable...
5
01:28Electrochemical Cells
87
Electrochemical cells are systems that convert chemical energy into electrical energy or use electrical energy to drive chemical reactions. They consist of two electrodes in contact with an electrolyte, where redox reactions enable electron transfer. Most electrochemical cells include two half-cells connected by an external wire for electron flow and a salt bridge for ion flow. The salt bridge contains an electrolyte solution and maintains charge neutrality by allowing ions—not...
87