Microfluidic platform for alcoholic fermentation process: Ethanol production and on-line quantification

Abstract

A microfluidic platform for alcoholic fermentation process can consist of a millireactor for the ethanol production and a microsensor for ethanol detection. Millireactors with immobilized yeast were previously developed and reached an average ethanol production of 1.42 % (v/v). The objective of this study was to develop and fabricate an ethanol microsensor and integrate it into a microfluidic platform. The microsensor composed of an ethanol-responsive membrane was manufactured using xurography and the sealing of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with the polymeric membrane were performed. Polyethersulfone (PES) membrane characteristics such as the number and size of pores and the dispersion of the Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanogels were investigated. In the permeate flow tests the microsensors showed an increase in permeability with increasing ethanol concentration. The integration of the microfluidic platform was performed using a millireactor and a microsensor that were coupled to perform the fermentation process and monitor ethanol production. The sensor was able to measure an ethanol concentration of 1.97 % (v/v) for the collected samples in the millireactor. Therefore, it is possible to integrate, manufacture, and operate a microfluidic platform composed of the millireactor and the ethanol microsensor for the production and quantification of alcoholic fermentation.