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MIT Uses Electrochemical Microbubbles To Gently Release Living Cells — A Boost For Carbon Capture And Biomanufacturing

06:23 AM, 12/06/2025
MIT Uses Electrochemical Microbubbles To Gently Release Living Cells — A Boost For Carbon Capture And Biomanufacturing

MIT scientists developed an electrochemical microbubble technique that gently detaches living cells from surfaces without chemicals or damaging forces. Published in Science Advances, the method works across multiple cell types and materials while preserving cell viability. It could reduce millions of pounds of biowaste from current cleaning methods and be integrated into photobioreactors and medical cell-culture systems to accelerate carbon capture and improve biomanufacturing.

MIT Researchers Use Tiny Electrochemical Bubbles To Detach Living Cells Safely

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a novel, scalable method that uses electrochemically generated microbubbles to lift living cells off surfaces without harming them. The technique, reported in Science Advances, promises to reduce downtime, cut chemical and mechanical cleaning, and improve efficiency in industries from carbon capture to pharmaceuticals and biofuels.

The method creates microscopic bubbles at an electrode that rise along surfaces and generate local fluid flows. Those flows gently sweep adhered cells away while preserving cell viability — in contrast to common alternatives such as enzymes, mechanical scraping, or harsh chemical cleaners that can damage cells and create millions of pounds of biowaste.

"We wanted to develop a technology that could be high-throughput and plug-and-play, and that would allow cells to attach and detach on demand to improve the workflow in these industrial processes," said Professor Kripa Varanasi, senior author of the study. "This is a fundamental issue with cells, and we've solved it with a process that can scale."

One promising application is in algae-based photobioreactors for carbon capture. Algae and other microorganisms can absorb CO2 far more efficiently than trees when grown in clean, well-maintained systems; adhesion of cells to reactor walls reduces that efficiency. The bubble-driven detachment could be integrated directly into reactors—for example, via a robotically movable electrode—to remove cells in situ without toxic cleaners or long downtimes.

Beyond carbon capture, the approach could improve industrial fermentation, food production, and medical cell-culture processes used for gene and cell therapies. The researchers demonstrated the technique across multiple cell types and surface materials and found it preserved cell health while enhancing detachment efficiency.

The team is working to scale the system for larger, real-world equipment. If made economical and widely adopted, the technology could help industries capture more carbon, produce medicines more efficiently, and dramatically reduce cleaning-related waste—contributing to cleaner air and more sustainable biotechnology operations.

Next steps: engineering for large-scale reactors, optimizing electrode designs and robotic integration, and validating long-term operational reliability and cost-effectiveness.

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