Short term atmospheric pressure cold plasma treatment: A novel strategy for enhancing the substrate utilization in a thermophile, Geobacillus sp. strain WSUCF1

Navanietha K Rathinam; Gorky; Mohit Bibra; Magesh Rajan; David Salem; Rajesh K Sani

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2019.01.028

Short term atmospheric pressure cold plasma treatment: A novel strategy for enhancing the substrate utilization in a thermophile, Geobacillus sp. strain WSUCF1

Bioresour Technol. 2019 Apr:278:477-480. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.01.028. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Authors

Navanietha K Rathinam¹, Gorky², Mohit Bibra², Magesh Rajan³, David Salem⁴, Rajesh K Sani⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA; BuG ReMeDEE Consortia, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA. Electronic address: Navanietha.Rathinam@sdsmt.edu.
² Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA.
³ Department of Electrical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA.
⁴ Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA; Composite and Nanocomposite Advanced Manufacturing - Biomaterials Center (CNAM-Bio Center), Rapid City, SD 57701, USA.
⁵ Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA; BuG ReMeDEE Consortia, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA; Composite and Nanocomposite Advanced Manufacturing - Biomaterials Center (CNAM-Bio Center), Rapid City, SD 57701, USA; Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA.

PMID: 30679060
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.01.028

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of atmospheric pressure cold plasma on the microbial substrate utilization and biomass yield in a thermophilic strain. Geobacillus sp. strain WSUCF1, a thermophile capable of producing cellulolytic enzymes with higher activity was used for this investigation. Treatment with cold plasma for 4 min increased the rates of glucose utilization by 74% and biomass yield by 60% when compared with the control. WSUCF1 treated with plasma also displayed enhanced biofilm formation. This study for the first time, reports the use of cold plasma for enhancing the substrate utilization and biofilm formation in a thermophile.

Keywords: Biofilm formation; Cold plasma; Mass transfer; Substrate utilization.

MeSH terms

Atmospheric Pressure
Biomass
Geobacillus*
Plasma Gases
Substrate Specificity

Substances

Plasma Gases