(399b) Novel Bioelectrochemical Bioreactor Systems for Enhanced Biosynthesis Processes

Electro-biotechnology for biosynthesis is an emerging field at the interface of electrochemistry and biotechnology. Instead of using carbohydrates as energy source for biosynthesis as in the classic biotechnology, electro-biotechnology aims to use regenerative electricity to drive biosynthesis in bioelectrochemical systems (BES). It has the potential to overcome some inherent limitations of present bioproduction systems in terms of atom efficiency and product yield, providing thus an ideal solution for Power-to-Product and circular economy.

Bioreactors is the heart of BES. However, only very basic experimental set-ups of BES such as the “H-cells” or biofilm bioreactors have been so far used, along with some modifications. These reactors were used to show possibilities of electricity-supported bioproduction in proof of principle studies but are mostly unsuitable for more quantitative or mechanistic studies, not to mention the difficulties in scaling them up. In this presentation, I will first give an overview of bioreactors for BES (e-bioreactor) for biosynthesis. I will then introduce our recent development of single-chamber e-bioreactors with a rode-shaped “All-in-One” electrode which can be easily inserted into typical bioreactor set-ups (e.g. stirred tank and bubble column reactors) for biosynthesis using microbes and enzymes. The “All-in-One” reactor system has been successfully used for in situ generation of H₂ and O₂, control of redox potential and recharge of electron-shuttles for electricity-aided production of chemicals and microbial lipids. The usefulness of these electrode and e-bioreactors is being verified and further developed for specific scientific questions and processes, the use CO or syngas as C1 building block for bioproduction.