Outward electron transfer by Saccharomyces cerevisiae monitored with a bi-cathodic microbial fuel cell-type activity sensor.

A Janus head-like bi-cathodic microbial fuel cell was constructed to monitor the electron transfer from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to a woven carbon anode. The experiments were conducted during an ethanol cultivation of 170 g/l glucose in the presence and absence of yeast-peptone medium. First, using a basic fuel-cell type activity sensor, it was shown that yeast-peptone medium contains electroactive compounds.

Online monitoring of yeast cultivation using a fuel-cell-type activity sensor.

A microbial fuel-cell type activity sensor integrated into 500 mL and 3.2 L bioreactors was employed for ampero- (lA) and potentiometric (mV) measurements. The aim was to follow the microbial activity during ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to detect the end of carbohydrate consumption.