Colorimetric isolation of a novel electrochemically active Pseudomonas strain using tungsten nanorods for bioelectrochemical applications

Abstract

Pseudomonas strains are a promising host cell in metabolic engineering for bioconversion, environmental remediation, and most recently for bioelectrochemical applications. This study isolated an electrochemically active Pseudomonas sp. from an anaerobic sludge using a colorimetric and electrochromic WO3 nanorod (WO3-NR) probe. A strategy was developed to determine the presence of electroactive species from enriched cultures. A mixed consortium was enriched using Pseudomonas isolation media containing betaine and triclosan as the carbon source and antibacterial reagent, respectively. A single blue colony was isolated using WO3-NR sandwiched agar plates. The isolate was sequenced by 16 s rRNA and designated Pseudomonas aeruginosa PBH03, producing phenazines and pyocyanin aerobically. The isolate exhibited clear electrochemical characteristics from cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry and produced a current density of 9.01 µA cm−2 in a microbial fuel cell.