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Study of the Mechanism of Catalytic Activity of G. Sulfurreducens Biofilm Anodes during Biofilm Growth
Author(s) -
StrycharzGlaven Sarah M.,
Tender Leonard M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201100737
Subject(s) - geobacter sulfurreducens , biofilm , redox , catalysis , chemistry , anode , cyclic voltammetry , cofactor , geobacter , electrochemistry , microbial fuel cell , electrode , inorganic chemistry , bacteria , biochemistry , biology , enzyme , genetics
The number of investigations involving bioelectrochemical systems (BES), processes in which microorganisms catalyze electrode reactions, is increasing while their mechanisms remain unresolved. Geobacter sulfurreducens strain DL1 is a model electrode catalyst that forms multimicrobe‐thick biofilms on anodes that catalyze the oxidation of acetate to result in an electric current. Here, we report the characterization by cyclic voltammetry (CV) of DL1 biofilm‐modified anodes (biofilm anodes) performed during biofilm development. This characterization, based on our recently reported model of biofilm anode catalytic activity, indicates the following. 1) As a biofilm grows, catalytic activity scales linearly with the amount of anode‐accessible redox cofactor in the biofilm. This observation is consistent with a catalytic activity that is limited during biofilm growth by electron transport from within cells to the extracellular redox cofactor. 2) Distinct voltammetric features are exhibited that reflect the presence of a redox cofactor expressed by cells that initially colonize an anode that is not involved in catalytic current generation