A simple mediatorless amperometric method using the cyanobacterium Synechococcus leopoliensis for the detection of phytotoxic pollutants

The unicellular cyanobacterium Synechoccocus leopoliensis is used in a micro-electrochemical cell to generate photocurrents. The photocurrent is dependent on photosynthetic electron transport and is mediated by hydrogen peroxide formation following the reduction of oxygen on the acceptor side of photosystem I. This is the first known application of cyanobacteria in an electrochemical device where no artificial electroactive mediator is needed. The potential for the development of this micro-electrochemical cell for the detection of phytotoxic pollutants, such as herbicides and toxic metal cations, using, the photosynthetic system of the cyanobacteria without interference from added electron acceptor is discussed.