Journal
ELECTROCHEMISTRY COMMUNICATIONS
Volume 101, Issue -, Pages 99-103Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2019.02.022
Keywords
Galactosidase; pH; Riboflavin; Coliform; Water quality; Sensor
Categories
Funding
- Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) UK Research and Innovation (SAFEWATER: EPSRC) [EP/P032427/1]
- Department for the Economy Northern Ireland (DfE)
- Kimal PLC
- EPSRC [EP/P032427/1] Funding Source: UKRI
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The ability to screen water for the presence of faecal contamination is a pressing need for rural communities dependent upon local purification systems. While there are a multitude of coliform detection assays based on the activity of beta-galactosidase, this report details the adaptation of a voltammetric pH sensing strategy which could offer rapid analysis. The approach exploits the bacterial metabolism of lactose via pyruvate to lactate with the subsequent decrease in pH measured by examining the peak separation of a riboflavin (sensing)-ferrocyanide (reference) couple. Disposable carbon fibre electrodes were used as in situ sensors in Escherichia coli cultures (10(3)-10(7) cfu/mL) with detection times of 4 h enabling confirmation of coliform activity. The bacterial compatibility of the riboflavin-ferrocyanide system in combination with the simplicity of the detection methodology, stand in marked contrast to many existing coliform assays and could open new avenues through which voltammetric pH sensing could be employed.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available