A wireless transmission system powered by an enzyme biofuel cell implanted in an orange

Bioelectrochemistry. 2015 Dec;106(Pt A):28-33. doi: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2014.10.005. Epub 2014 Nov 5.

Abstract

A biofuel cell composed of catalytic electrodes made of "buckypaper" modified with PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase and FAD-dependent fructose dehydrogenase on the anode and with laccase on the cathode was used to activate a wireless information transmission system. The cathode/anode pair was implanted in orange pulp extracting power from its content (glucose and fructose in the juice). The open circuit voltage, Voc, short circuit current density, jsc, and maximum power produced by the biofuel cell, Pmax, were found as ca. 0.6 V, ca. 0.33 mA·cm(-2) and 670 μW, respectively. The voltage produced by the biofuel cell was amplified with an energy harvesting circuit and applied to a wireless transmitter. The present study continues the research line where different implantable biofuel cells are used for the activation of electronic devices. The study emphasizes the biosensor and environmental monitoring applications of implantable biofuel cells harvesting power from natural sources, rather than their biomedical use.

Keywords: Fructose dehydrogenase; Glucose dehydrogenase; Implantable biofuel cell; Laccase; Orange; Wireless transmission.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bioelectric Energy Sources*
  • Citrus sinensis / chemistry*
  • Electrodes
  • Glucose 1-Dehydrogenase / chemistry
  • Glucose 1-Dehydrogenase / metabolism*
  • Laccase / chemistry
  • Laccase / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • PQQ Cofactor / chemistry
  • PQQ Cofactor / metabolism
  • Protein Conformation
  • Wireless Technology*

Substances

  • PQQ Cofactor
  • Glucose 1-Dehydrogenase
  • Laccase