Electrogenic Bacteria Promise New Opportunities for Powering, Sensing, and Synthesizing

Abstract

Considerable research efforts into the promises of electrogenic bacteria and the commercial opportunities they present are attempting to identify potential feasible applications. Metabolic electrons from the bacteria enable electricity generation sufficient to power portable or small‐scale applications, while the quantifiable electric signal in a miniaturized device platform can be sensitive enough to monitor and respond to changes in environmental conditions. Nanomaterials produced by the electrogenic bacteria can offer an innovative bottom‐up biosynthetic approach to synergize bacterial electron transfer and create an effective coupling at the cell–electrode interface. Furthermore, electrogenic bacteria can revolutionize the field of bioelectronics by effectively interfacing electronics with microbes through extracellular electron transfer. Here, these new directions for the electrogenic bacteria and their recent integration with micro‐ and nanosystems are comprehensively discussed with specific attention toward distinct applications in the field of powering, sensing, and synthesizing. Furthermore, challenges of individual applications and strategies toward potential solutions are provided to offer valuable guidelines for practical implementation. Finally, the perspective and view on how the use of electrogenic bacteria can hold immeasurable promise for the development of future electronics and their applications are presented.

Engineering Multi‐Scale Organization for Biotic and Organic Abiotic Electroactive Systems

“…Leveraging the ability of these microbes to serve as either electron donors or acceptors allows them to be patterned and integrated as microbial fuel cells in sensor network design or as biosynthesized nanowires. [ 178 ] Integrating the ordered structures of electroactive polymers and biomolecules can enhance the interactions between electroactive microorganisms and electrodes for improved extracellular charge transfer, [ 174 , 177 ] toward potential applications for microbial biosensors and bioreactors.…”

A Bifunctional Fully Integrated Wearable Tracker for Epidermal Sweat and Wound Exudate Multiple Biomarkers Monitoring

“…[4,12,13] Fully integrated devices that allow full functionality but unrequire external accessories are hailed as one of the most ideal and ultimate goals for modern device design and development. [14][15][16][17] The introduction of the fully integrated concept into the wearable biochemical sensing, the fully integrated wearable biochemical sensors enable the wireless, noninvasive, continuous, and multiplexed in situ tracking of biomarkers at molecular levels for potential health situation evaluation and management on a daily basis. Since the pioneered work on the fully integrated wearable sweat sensor was demonstrated by Javey's group from University of California Berkeley in 2016, [18] prolific fully integrated wearable biochemical sensors for either epidermal sweat or wound exudate tracking have been developed.…”

A Biobattery Capsule for Ingestible Electronics in the Small Intestine: Biopower Production from Intestinal Fluids Activated Germination of Exoelectrogenic Bacterial Endospores

“…[28] Furthermore, recent intensive studies of the MFC miniaturization with the power enhancement release the technology from its restriction to conceptual research and advance its translational potential for use in practical applications. [29][30][31] The bacterial cells for energy production are substantially more resilient than the other catalysts such as enzymes and inorganic compounds and provide self-maintaining, self-repairing, and self-assembling features with long-term stability and sustainability. [29] The gastrointestinal environment allows the MFC to produce maximum performance with minimum intervention.…”

“…[29][30][31] The bacterial cells for energy production are substantially more resilient than the other catalysts such as enzymes and inorganic compounds and provide self-maintaining, self-repairing, and self-assembling features with long-term stability and sustainability. [29] The gastrointestinal environment allows the MFC to produce maximum performance with minimum intervention. The human body maintains a steady internal temperature close to 37 °C and the small intestine has a neutral pH, which are the optimal conditions for the MFC to reliably generate its maximized output of electricity.…”