It has become a prerequisite to be able to monitor pH within microbial reactors. An inexpensive and scalable polymer-coated carbon electrode capable of being used within the challenging milieu of microbial reactors and which can monitor pH has been developed. The system adopts a voltammetric approach in which the oxidation peak processes of custom synthesized flavin polymers were used as indirect markers of pH.  A range of flavin systems have been investigated and their electrochemical properties determined. The presence of an electropolymerisable substituent enabled the creation of a pH sensitive redox film which was robust and able to withstand physical and biochemical challenges presented by bacterial reactors. The modified carbon-fibre sensing system displayed Nernstian behaviour (55 mV/pH) which was independent from typical interferences that would hinder conventional pH systems and exhibited minimal drift over repetitive cycles over 72 hrs. The performance of the system has been characterised in a wide array of bacterial reactors and its response validated against conventional monitoring processes.

Fabrication of redox pH probes for use in microbial reactors

2019 Spring National Meeting

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