Electrochemical Observation of Microbial Respiratory Response to Silver Ion

Abstract

Living cells of Trichosporon cutaneum were immobilized on the surface of an oxygen probe to construct a respiration-type biosensor. It was installed in a flow system. Silver sulfate and glucose solutions were repeatedly introduced into the system for 7 min each at a certain interval, e.g. 160 min. Introduction of 20 μM Ag⁺ caused a response of the biosensor which corresponded with the stimulation of the respiration activity. When the concentration of Ag⁺ was raised to 250 μM, both responses of Ag⁺ and glucose gradually decreased accompanying decrease in endogenous respiration activity.