Microbial sensor system for the assessment of subsurface environments
OwnerScott R. Burge, Russell G. Burge +1inventors
InventorsScott R. Burge, Russell G. Burge, David A. Hoffman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microbial sensor, system, and method that can be used to determine a chemical environment and/or substrate concentrations in anaerobic or aerobic environments, such as soils, sediments and ground waters, are disclosed. An exemplary system uses one or more (e.g., inert) measurement electrodes and a reference electrode. The reference electrode can include an electrode exposed to atmospheric oxygen (e.g., a cathode) or an electrode exposed to stable anaerobic or aerobic conditions. The exemplary microbial sensor system measures open-circuit voltage to characterize the chemical (oxidizing or reducing) environment and/or recovery voltage to measure substrate concentrations in the subsurface.
Claims18
A method of measuring microbial activity in an environment, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a reference electrode in the environment;
- providing a plurality of inert measurement electrodes in the environment;
- and
- measuring an open circuit voltage between the reference electrode and each of the plurality of inert measurement electrodes to characterize the environment,
- wherein a biofilm is attached to each of the plurality of inert measurement electrodes,
- wherein microbes within the environment form each of the biofilms, and
- wherein an open circuit voltage between the reference electrode and each of the plurality of inert measurement electrodes comprises a voltage corresponding to charge stored in temporary electron acceptors of microbes forming the biofilm on each of the plurality of inert measurement electrodes.
A method of measuring microbial activity in an environment, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a reference electrode in the environment;
- providing a plurality of measurement electrodes in the environment;
- and
- measuring one or more of an open circuit voltage between the reference electrode and the plurality of measurement electrodes and a recovery voltage between the reference electrode and the plurality of measurement electrodes to characterize the environment,
- wherein the reference electrode and the measurement electrodes each comprise a biofilm formed within the environment,
- wherein the open circuit voltage measurement correspond to charge stored in temporary electron acceptors of microbes forming the biofilm, and
- wherein the recovery voltage corresponds to a substrate concentration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.