Alyssa Zhou

EECS Department
University of California, Berkeley
Technical Report No. UCB/EECS-2017-42
May 10, 2017

http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2017/EECS-2017-42.pdf

Current technologies are lacking in the area of deployable, in situ monitoring of complex chemicals in environmental applications. Microorganisms metabolize various chemical compounds and can be engineered to be analyte-specific, making them naturally suited for robust chemical sensing. However, current electrochemical microbial biosensors use large and expensive electrochemistry equipment not suitable for on-site, real-time environmental analysis. Here we demonstrate a miniaturized, autonomous bioelectronic sensing system (BESSY) suitable for deployment in instantaneous and continuous sensing applications. We developed a 2x2 cm ² footprint, low power, two-channel, three-electrode electrochemical potentiostat which wirelessly transmits data for on-site microbial sensing. Furthermore, we designed a new way of fabricating self-contained, submersible, miniaturized reactors (m-reactors) to encapsulate the bacteria, working, and counter electrodes. We have validated the BESSY’s ability to specifically detect a chemical amongst environmental perturbations using differential current measurements. This work paves the way for in situ microbial sensing outside of a controlled laboratory environment.

Advisor: Michel Maharbiz

BibTeX citation:

@mastersthesis{Zhou:EECS-2017-42,
    Author = {Zhou, Alyssa},
    Title = {A miniaturized bioelectronic sensing system featuring portable microbial reactors for environmental deployment},
    School = {EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley},
    Year = {2017},
    Month = {May},
    URL = {http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2017/EECS-2017-42.html},
    Number = {UCB/EECS-2017-42},
    Abstract = {Current technologies are lacking in the area of deployable, <i>in situ</i> monitoring of complex chemicals in environmental applications. Microorganisms metabolize various chemical compounds and can be engineered to be analyte-specific, making them naturally suited for robust chemical sensing. However, current electrochemical microbial biosensors use large and expensive electrochemistry equipment not suitable for on-site, real-time environmental analysis. Here we demonstrate a miniaturized, autonomous bioelectronic sensing system (BESSY) suitable for deployment in instantaneous and continuous sensing applications. We developed a 2x2 cm<sup>2</sup> footprint, low power, two-channel, three-electrode electrochemical potentiostat which wirelessly transmits data for on-site microbial sensing. Furthermore, we designed a new way of fabricating self-contained, submersible, miniaturized reactors (m-reactors) to encapsulate the bacteria, working, and counter electrodes. We have validated the BESSY’s ability to specifically detect a chemical amongst environmental perturbations using differential current measurements. This work paves the way for <i>in situ</i> microbial sensing outside of a controlled laboratory environment.}
}

EndNote citation:

%0 Thesis
%A Zhou, Alyssa
%T A miniaturized bioelectronic sensing system featuring portable microbial reactors for environmental deployment
%I EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley
%D 2017
%8 May 10
%@ UCB/EECS-2017-42
%U http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2017/EECS-2017-42.html
%F Zhou:EECS-2017-42