Cell Transport Prompts the Performance of Low-Voltage Electroporation for Cell Inactivation

Abstract

The inactivation of pathogens in liquids has broad applications, ranging from water disinfection to food pasteurization. However, common cell inactivation methods (e.g., chlorination, ultraviolet radiation and thermal treatment) have significant drawbacks such as carcinogenic byproduct formation, energy intensiveness and/or nutrient structure destruction. Here, we fabricated a new approach to address these challenges by applying a low-voltage electroporation disinfection cell (EDC) and investigate the critical mechanisms of cell transport to allow high inactivation performance. The EDC prototypes were equipped with two one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure-assisted electrodes that enabled high electric field strength (>107 V m−1) near the electrode surface with a low applied voltage (1 V). We have identified that during electroporation disinfection, electrophoresis, dielectrophoresis and hydraulic flow are the three major mechanisms which transport cells into the vicinity of the electrode surface to achieve superior disinfection performance. The EDC treated 70 ml of bacteria sample with an initial cell concentration of 107 CFU ml−1 and achieved complete bacteria inactivation (survival rate <0.00001%; no live bacteria detected). Our findings will help to establish a foundation for the future development and implementation of low-voltage electroporation for cell inactivation.

Triboelectrification induced self-powered microbial disinfection using nanowire-enhanced localized electric field

“…However, due to the enhanced electric field existing only near the nanowire tip, unless the microbes approach the tip structure, disinfection will not occur. Thus, the microbial transport process is the speed imitating step of nanowire-assisted electroporation disinfection 22 . In addition, the feasibility of deploying electroporation disinfection in the air remains a great challenge due to the fast airflow in the ventilation systems of indoor buildings (~m/s; >200 folds the flow rate seen in water disinfection) 9 , 23 .…”

Synergistic effect of pulsed electric fields and temperature on the inactivation of microorganisms

“…The PEF pasteurization technology refers to applying a high pulsed voltage between two electrodes to form a uniform or non-uniform electric field region having a lethal effect on the microbes (Toepfl et al 2007 ). When the liquid solution containing microbes flows through the intense electric fields region, the integrity of the cell membrane is damaged and the membrane permeability increases significantly (Huo et al 2018 ). When microorganisms are exposed to PEF, electroporation occurs, the integrity of the membrane is destroyed, and genetic materials flow out (El Zakhem et al 2007 ).…”

Field enhancement in microfluidic semiconductor nanowire array

“…A simplified model was presented in Ref. 39 for estimating the field enhancement using CNT nanowires. In a previous design, electrodes of cuprous oxide carbon nanotubes on copper foam 37 proposed that the interaction between the nanowires and bacterial cells are the reason for disinfecting the water.…”

“…They used a simplified estimation of field enhancement and the resulting impact on E. coli particles. 39 In this paper, we propose a novel method of amplifying the electric field at low voltage using an array of semiconductor nanowires in the microfluidic channel. Due to the difference in the dielectric permittivity of the nanostructure material from the surrounding fluid medium, the electric field localizes near the nanostructures.…”