Electrical potential spiking of kombucha zoogleal mats

Abstract

A kombucha is a sugared tea fermented by a symbiotic community of over twenty species of bacteria and yeasts. The community produces and inhabits cellulosic gelatinous zoogleal mats. We studied electrical activity of the kombucha mats using pairs of differential electrodes. We discovered that the mats produce action like spikes of electrical potential. The spikes are often grouped in the trains of spikes. Characteristics of the spikes and trains of spikes are presented. We demonstrated that electrical responses of kombucha mats to chemical, electrical and optical stimulation are distinctive and therefore the mats can be used as sensors, or even unconventional computing devices.