Background

When organised in biofilms, microorganisms have higher resilience to stressful conditions and a higher ability to entrap and degrade molecules or reduce ions. Biofilms have been used extensively for biodegradation and biosynthesis processes. Electrochemically active biofilms have attracted considerable attraction in bio-electrochemical systems, such as microbial fuel cells, where they act as living bioanode or biocathode catalysts.

Technology Overview

The new technology is a method that employs novel synthetic polymers to nucleate the growth of biofilms, without the need for any genetic input. This is especially important in bioremediation as release of genetically modified organisms into the environment is unacceptable. The range of polymers allows to induce biofilms in a wide spectrum of bacteria, specifically addressing their properties.

An additional benefit of these novel microorganism-polymer complexes is that they can be easily dispersed by changing the culture environment.

Improved biofilm production across time

Biofilm formation can be controlled by changing culture conditions

Improved conversion of starting products in a selected model reaction

Benefits

Enables microorganisms to easily form biofilms
Increases efficiency
Increases productivity
Easily dispersed
Replaces the need for genetic engineering
Saves cost
Saves time
Improves safety

Applications

Biofilm reactors
Water and wastewater remediation
Remediation of contaminated soil
Bioleaching
Biosensing
Production of bulk and fine chemicals
Production of energy
Microbial fuel cells

Opportunity

Co-development
Collaboration
Licensing

Beneficial Biofilms

Patents

IP Status

Seeking