Charge transport in films of Geobacter sulfurreducens on graphite electrodes as a function of film thickness
Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Water Desalination and Reuse Research Center (WDRC)Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division
Date
2014Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/563191
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Show full item recordAbstract
Harnessing, and understanding the mechanisms of growth and activity of, biofilms of electroactive bacteria (EAB) on solid electrodes is of increasing interest, for application to microbial fuel and electrolysis cells. Microbial electrochemical cell technology can be used to generate electricity, or higher value chemicals, from organic waste. The capability of biofilms of electroactive bacteria to transfer electrons to solid anodes is a key feature of this emerging technology, yet the electron transfer mechanism is not fully characterized as yet. Acetate oxidation current generated from biofilms of an EAB, Geobacter sulfurreducens, on graphite electrodes as a function of time does not correlate with film thickness. Values of film thickness, and the number and local concentration of electrically connected redox sites within Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms as well as a charge transport diffusion co-efficient for the biofilm can be estimated from non-turnover voltammetry. The thicker biofilms, of 50 ± 9 μm, display higher charge transport diffusion co-efficient than that in thinner films, as increased film porosity of these films improves ion transport, required to maintain electro-neutrality upon electrolysis. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.Citation
Jana, P. S., Katuri, K., Kavanagh, P., Kumar, A., & Leech, D. (2014). Charge transport in films of Geobacter sulfurreducens on graphite electrodes as a function of film thickness. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 16(19), 9039–9046. doi:10.1039/c4cp01023jSponsors
Support for this research was provided by a Charles Parsons Energy Research Award through Science Foundation Ireland and an EU FP 7 Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship to AK for Career Development (Grant A/6342-PIEF-GA-2009-237181).Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1039/c4cp01023j