title: Probing single- to multi-cell level charge transport in Geobacter sulfurreducens DL-1.
abstract: Microbial fuel cells, in which living microorganisms convert chemical energy into electricity, represent a potentially sustainable energy technology for the future. Here we report the single-bacterium level current measurements of Geobacter sulfurreducens DL-1 to elucidate the fundamental limits and factors determining maximum power output from a microbial fuel cell. Quantized stepwise current outputs of 92(±33) and 196(±20) fA are generated from microelectrode arrays confined in isolated wells. Simultaneous cell imaging/tracking and current recording reveals that the current steps are directly correlated with the contact of one or two cells with the electrodes. This work establishes the amount of current generated by an individual Geobacter cell in the absence of a biofilm and highlights the potential upper limit of microbial fuel cell performance for Geobacter in thin biofilms.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA [2].
authors.forename: Xiaocheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Emily R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Jackan
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lieber
authors.forename: Bradley R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ringeisen
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lieber
authors.forename: Justin C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Biffinger
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D018441:Biofilms; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004563:Electrochemistry; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D045302:Geobacter / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D049329:Nanostructures
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon