A Novel Organic Electrochemical Transistor-Based Platform for Monitoring the Senescent Green Vegetative Phase of Haematococcus pluvialis Cells.

The freshwater unicellular microalga () has gained increasing attention because of its high-value metabolite astaxanthin, a super anti-oxidant. For the maximum astaxanthin production, a key problem is how to determine the senescent green vegetative phase of cells to apply the astaxanthin production inducers. The conventional methods are time-consuming and laborious. In this study, a novel platform based on organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) was produced. A significant channel current change of OECTs caused by settled cells on the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT: PSS) film was recorded commencing from 75 min and a stationary stage was achieved at 120 min after the combined treatment of blue light irradiation and sodium bicarbonate solution additives, which indicate the onset and maturation of the senescent green vegetative phase, respectively. Therefore, the appropriate time point (120 min after sample loading) to apply astaxanthin production inducers was determined by as-fabricated OECTs. This work may assist to develop a real-time biosensor to indicate the appropriate time to apply inducers for a maximum astaxanthin production of cells.