Determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms.

Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms were cultivated in batch using one-chamber and two-chamber bioelectrochemical reactors. Time-resolved substrate quantification was performed to derive physiological parameters as well as incremental coulombic efficiency (i.e., coulombic efficiency during one batch...

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Main Authors: Benjamin Korth, Jörg Kretzschmar, Manuel Bartz, Anne Kuchenbuch, Falk Harnisch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2020-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234077
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author Benjamin Korth
Jörg Kretzschmar
Manuel Bartz
Anne Kuchenbuch
Falk Harnisch
author_facet Benjamin Korth
Jörg Kretzschmar
Manuel Bartz
Anne Kuchenbuch
Falk Harnisch
author_sort Benjamin Korth
collection DOAJ
description Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms were cultivated in batch using one-chamber and two-chamber bioelectrochemical reactors. Time-resolved substrate quantification was performed to derive physiological parameters as well as incremental coulombic efficiency (i.e., coulombic efficiency during one batch cycle, here every 6h) during early stage biofilm development. The results of one-chamber reactors revealed an intermediate acetate increase putatively due to the presence of acetogens. Total coulombic efficiencies of two-chamber reactors were considerable lower (19.6±8.3% and 49.3±13.2% for 1st and 2nd batch cycle, respectively) compared to usually reported values of mature Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms presumably reflecting energetic requirements for biomass production (i.e., cells and extracellular polymeric substances) during early stages of biofilm development. The incremental coulombic efficiency exhibits considerable changes during batch cycles indicating shifts between phases of maximizing metabolic rates and maximizing biomass yield. Analysis based on Michaelis-Menten kinetics yielded maximum substrate uptake rates (vmax,Ac, vmax,I) and half-saturation concentration coefficients (KM,Ac,KM,I) based on acetate uptake or current production, respectively. The latter is usually reported in literature but neglects energy demands for biofilm growth and maintenance as well as acetate and electron storage. From 1st to 2nd batch cycle, vmax,Ac and KM,Ac, decreased from 0.0042-0.0051 mmol Ac- h-1 cm-2 to 0.0031-0.0037 mmol Ac- h-1 cm-2 and 1.02-2.61 mM Ac- to 0.28-0.42 mM Ac-, respectively. Furthermore, differences between KM,Ac/KM,I and vmax,Ac/vmax,I were observed providing insights into the physiology of Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms. Notably, KM,I considerably scattered while vmax,Ac/vmax,I and KM,Ac remained rather stable indicating that acetate transport within biofilm only marginally affects reaction rates. The observed data variation mandates the requirement of a more detailed analysis with an improved experimental system, e.g., using flow conditions and a comparison with Geobacter spp. pure cultures.
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spelling doaj.art-f856f352ea9047498153d33f33a7d6802022-12-21T18:25:00ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-01156e023407710.1371/journal.pone.0234077Determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms.Benjamin KorthJörg KretzschmarManuel BartzAnne KuchenbuchFalk HarnischGeobacter spp. enrichment biofilms were cultivated in batch using one-chamber and two-chamber bioelectrochemical reactors. Time-resolved substrate quantification was performed to derive physiological parameters as well as incremental coulombic efficiency (i.e., coulombic efficiency during one batch cycle, here every 6h) during early stage biofilm development. The results of one-chamber reactors revealed an intermediate acetate increase putatively due to the presence of acetogens. Total coulombic efficiencies of two-chamber reactors were considerable lower (19.6±8.3% and 49.3±13.2% for 1st and 2nd batch cycle, respectively) compared to usually reported values of mature Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms presumably reflecting energetic requirements for biomass production (i.e., cells and extracellular polymeric substances) during early stages of biofilm development. The incremental coulombic efficiency exhibits considerable changes during batch cycles indicating shifts between phases of maximizing metabolic rates and maximizing biomass yield. Analysis based on Michaelis-Menten kinetics yielded maximum substrate uptake rates (vmax,Ac, vmax,I) and half-saturation concentration coefficients (KM,Ac,KM,I) based on acetate uptake or current production, respectively. The latter is usually reported in literature but neglects energy demands for biofilm growth and maintenance as well as acetate and electron storage. From 1st to 2nd batch cycle, vmax,Ac and KM,Ac, decreased from 0.0042-0.0051 mmol Ac- h-1 cm-2 to 0.0031-0.0037 mmol Ac- h-1 cm-2 and 1.02-2.61 mM Ac- to 0.28-0.42 mM Ac-, respectively. Furthermore, differences between KM,Ac/KM,I and vmax,Ac/vmax,I were observed providing insights into the physiology of Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms. Notably, KM,I considerably scattered while vmax,Ac/vmax,I and KM,Ac remained rather stable indicating that acetate transport within biofilm only marginally affects reaction rates. The observed data variation mandates the requirement of a more detailed analysis with an improved experimental system, e.g., using flow conditions and a comparison with Geobacter spp. pure cultures.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234077
spellingShingle Benjamin Korth
Jörg Kretzschmar
Manuel Bartz
Anne Kuchenbuch
Falk Harnisch
Determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms.
PLoS ONE
title Determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms.
title_full Determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms.
title_fullStr Determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms.
title_full_unstemmed Determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms.
title_short Determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage Geobacter spp. enrichment biofilms.
title_sort determining incremental coulombic efficiency and physiological parameters of early stage geobacter spp enrichment biofilms
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234077
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