无介体微生物燃料电池型BOD传感器研究进展

Research progress in mediator-less microbial fuel cell type BOD sensor

总结了国内外各类生化需氧量(BOD)的检测方法,详细介绍了通过电化学活性微生物产电进行BOD检测的无介体微生物燃料电池型BOD传感器的结构与工作原理,以及电化学活性微生物实现电子转移的机理。与其他类型的BOD传感器相比,无介体微生物燃料电池型BOD传感器的主要优点包括稳定性强、响应时间短、重现性好、精确度高、转化率高和测量范围大等。此外,分析了影响无介体微生物燃料电池型BOD传感器稳定性、转化率、响应时间的主要因素,并指出降低燃料电池成本和采用各类实际水样考查传感器性能对于无介体微生物燃料电池型BOD传感器的研发和应用具有重要意义。

This paper has summarized the development of biochemical oxygen demand （BOD） detection methods nationally and internation- ally as well as the structure and the operation principle of a mediatorless microbial fuel cell type BOD sensor. Besides that, the mecha- nism of electron transfer by electrochemical aetive microorganisms in microbial fuel cell is introduced in detail. Compared with other BOD sensors, the advantages of mediator-less microbial fuel cell type BOD sensor include high stability, fast response, good repeatability and re- producibility, high precision and accuracy, high conversion rate and large measurement range. The main factors which influencing the sta- bility, conversion rate and response time of the mediator-less micro- bial fuel cell type BOD sensor are discussed as well. The stability is affected by the culturing of electrochemical active microorganisms, pollution of proton exchange membrane and the existence of toxic sub- stances; whereas the conversion rate is mainly affected by the exis- tence of microbial respiration inhibitors, proton exchange membrane size, types of electrode, electrolyte and electron acceptor as well as the external resistance size; the response time is mainly affected by microbial population and amount, BOD of the tested solutions, exter- nal resistance size and the construction of anode and anode chamber. Currently the mediator-less microbial fuel cell type BOD sensors are at the stage of laboratory research. Hence, considerable improve- ments in the aspects such as less species of electrochemical active mi- croorganisms, high cost of proton exchange membrane and electrodes, simplicity of the tested water samples （normally artificial water） are highly expected. This paper has pointed out that the cost reduction of microbial fuel cell and the performance testing of the BOD sensor with various real water samples are important for the future study and application of the mediator-less microbial fuel cell type BOD sensor.