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Modeling the Impact of Interspecies Competition on Performance of a Microbial Fuel Cell

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Abstract

Previous models of biofilms growing in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) have primarily focused on modeling a single growth mechanism: growth via a conductive biofilm matrix, or growth utilizing diffusible electron shuttles or mediators. In this work, we implement both flavors of models in order to explore the competition for space and nutrients in a MFC biofilm populated by both species types. We find that the optimal growth conditions are for bacteria that utilize conductive EPS provided a minimal energy used to create the EPS matrix. Mediator-utilizing bacteria do have favorable niche regions, most notably close to the anode and where exposed to the bulk inflow, where oxidized mediator is readily available.

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Acknowledgments

We want to thank Bruce Rittmann at Arizona State University for helpful discussions regarding this work. This work was supported by the NSF (Grant DMS-0921015) and the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University (ISEN).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Brian V. Merkey & David L. Chopp

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  1. Brian V. Merkey
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  2. David L. Chopp
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Correspondence to David L. Chopp.

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Merkey, B.V., Chopp, D.L. Modeling the Impact of Interspecies Competition on Performance of a Microbial Fuel Cell. Bull Math Biol 76, 1429–1453 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-014-9968-0

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