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Published May 11, 2021 | Supplemental Material
Journal Article Open

Spatially Resolved Electron Transport through Anode‐Respiring Geobacter sulfurreducens Biofilms: Controls and Constraints

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with Geobacter sulfurreducens have been shown to produce high current densities; however, electron transport in G. sulfurreducens biofilms is not fully understood. Here, we utilize a spatially resolved numerical model describing this electron transfer to constrain mechanisms and controls on metabolic activity. Our model reproduces the metabolic activity profile obtained using nanoSIMS under positive (+0.24 V SHE) and negative (−0.1 V SHE) anode potentials. The simulations indicate that the distribution of the electric potential and pH both control cellular metabolism. Model simulations reproducing the experimentally determined activity patterns also support the presence of two activity modes in G. sulfurreducens biofilms, with a shift from a redox mid‐potential of −0.07 V SHE to −0.15 V SHE. Our model provides valuable insights into the fundamental mechanisms of electron transfer at Micron‐scale in conductive biofilms which can inform MFCs designs that maximize current production by minimizing the impact of inhibitory factors.

Additional Information

© 2021 Wiley‐VCH GmbH. Issue Online: 11 May 2021; Version of Record online: 03 March 2021; Accepted manuscript online: 22 February 2021; Manuscript revised: 19 February 2021; Manuscript received: 24 January 2021. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Genomic Science Program under Award Number DE‐SC0016469 and DE‐SC0020373 (to CM and VJO). Contributions by VJO and GC were also supported in part by a grant from the Simons Foundation (#542393) part of the Principles of Microbial Ecosystems Collaborative (PriME). We thank D. Bond for assisting with the initial G. sulfurreducens bioreactor experiments used in this study. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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August 22, 2023
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