Microbial-Based Electrochemical Bioassay For Water-Quality

MARÍA C. BONETTO; WEINSTOCK, A.; FRAIGI, L.; SACCO, N.; CORTÓN, E.

San Pablo

Congreso; 6th Ibero-American Congress on Sensors IBERSENSOR 2008; 2008

7th Ibero-American Congress on Sensors IBERSENSOR

A ferricyanide-mediated short term biochemical oxygen demand (BODst) approach has been reported to overcome low oxygen solubility in water limitation that contributes to long incubation time (5 days) in the standard BOD test (BOD5), internationally employed as a water quality parameter. BOD test is also used to determine organic pollution in natural waters and the total degradable organic load in wastewaters.Here we present results obtained using free bacterial cells, in a batch system. Our results show that one of the bacterial strains tested reduces ferricyanide efficiently and is able to oxidize several carbon sources. These results are going to be used in the design of a microbial biosensor that, proficient for BODst determination, will improve and facilitate active intervention in environmentalmonitoring. The development of rapid methods to be used in-situ, based in disposable electrochemical strips, is our ultimate goal.