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A Four-Channel Millifluidic Electrochemical Flow Reactor for Parallel Screening of Cathodically Active Microbial
Ting Xie1, Olivia Gerhard1, Steffen Schneider1
1Group for Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technology, Institute for Chemistry and Bioengineering, Technische Universität Ilmenau, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany.
Micromachines
|June 26, 2026
Summary
A new four-channel millifluidic microbial electrochemical reactor (mMER) enables parallel screening of microbial communities. This tool tracks biomass and current, revealing distinct electrochemical responses in different soil samples.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Electrochemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Screening microbial communities for electrochemical activity is crucial for bioenergy and bioremediation.
- Existing methods often lack the throughput and integrated monitoring needed for comparative analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel four-channel millifluidic microbial electrochemical reactor (mMER) for parallel screening of cathodically active microbial communities.
- To establish a standardized workflow for cathodic enrichment and comparative analysis of microbial electrochemical behavior.
Main Methods:
- The mMER platform integrates electrochemical control with online optical density (OD) monitoring for simultaneous tracking of biomass and current.
- Photometric calibration and biocompatibility tests were performed for system validation.
- Cathodic enrichment protocols were applied to four different soil samples at a cathode potential of -0.4 V.
- Time-resolved ΔOD/ΔQ analysis was used to compare biomass-associated electrochemical responses.
- Open-circuit potential measurements were conducted for further characterization.
Main Results:
- The mMER system successfully enabled parallel screening and monitoring of microbial communities.
- Distinct temporal response characteristics (early, delayed, sustained) were observed among different soil microbial communities.
- A microbial community from a Neolithic earthwork site (HB51) showed a stable relationship between cathodic current and OD development.
- Variations in electrochemical responses were noted across the four tested soil samples.
Conclusions:
- The developed mMER platform is a valuable tool for the comparative screening of electroactive microbial communities from complex environmental samples.
- The ΔOD/ΔQ analysis provides insights into the temporal dynamics of microbial electrochemical activity.
- The study highlights the potential for identifying highly efficient electroactive microbial communities for various applications.
