Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
(a)
(b)
FIGURE 13.18
Confocal laser scanning microscope images of
Geobacter sulfurreducens
biofilms on gold electrodes. Magnification: 250
. The large images are top
views on the biofilm. The smaller images are orthogonal cross-sections with
the gold attached side of the biofilm on the left, the outer surface on the
right. The vertical dark gray line is the plane in which the top view image
was taken. (a) Biofilm from a gold electrode after 10 days. (b) Biofilm from
another gold electrode after 18 days. (Reprinted from Richter, H., McCarthy,
K., Nevin, K.P., Johnson, J.P., Rotello, V.M., and Lovley, D.R.
Langmuir,
24,
2008. With permission from Elsevier.)
×
mechanism provides a good illustration of the increasing use of fluorophore-
tagged imaging in the biofuel cell study.
13.6 Future Directions
Through a few interesting illustrations several spectroscopic techniques have
been demonstrated and discussed. Properly employing these techniques one
can explore, study, and characterize surface and interface properties and phe-
nomena (such as adsorption and molecular interactions) in thin films or porous
media. In combination with electrochemical and microgravimetric measure-
ments, a fascinating
in situ
, noninvasive approach can be constituted to char-
acterize thin films and porous structures and to monitor the evolution of
physical and chemical changes from surface or interface to the bulk in details.
In the wake of flourishing nano- and biotechnology developments, it is even
more attractive to employ such an approach to characterize materials and
biological species in relation to their functions and applications than ever.
As we have described earlier, more trendy developments and atten-
tions have been directed to nanobiomaterials and controlled microstructures.
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