title: Characterization of microbial current production as a function of microbe-electrode-interaction.
abstract: Microbe-electrode-interactions are keys for microbial fuel cell technology. Nevertheless, standard measurement routines to analyze the interplay of microbial physiology and material characteristics have not been introduced yet. In this study, graphite anodes with varying surface properties were evaluated using pure cultures of Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens, as well as defined and undefined mixed cultures. The evaluation routine consisted of a galvanostatic period, a current sweep and an evaluation of population density. The results show that surface area correlates only to a certain extent with population density and anode performance. Furthermore, the study highlights a strain-specific microbe-electrode-interaction, which is affected by the introduction of another microorganism. Moreover, evidence is provided for the possibility of translating results from pure culture to undefined mixed species experiments. This is the first study on microbe-electrode-interaction that systematically integrates and compares electrochemical and biological data.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Applied Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: kerstin.dolch@kit.edu.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dolch
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK - Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: joana.danzer@imtek.uni-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Danzer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Applied Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: Kabbeck@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kabbeck
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK - Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: bbierer@web.de.
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bierer
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK - Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: johannes.erben@imtek.uni-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Erben
authors.affiliation: Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Applied Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: andreas.foerster@kit.edu.
authors.forename: Andreas H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Förster
authors.affiliation: Botanical Institute, Molecular Cell Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstrasse 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: jan.maisch@kit.edu.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maisch
authors.affiliation: Botanical Institute, Molecular Cell Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstrasse 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: peter.nick@kit.edu.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nick
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK - Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: kerzenma@imtek.uni-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kerzenmacher
authors.affiliation: Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Applied Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: johannes.gescher@kit.edu.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gescher
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D045302:Geobacter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D020592:Shewanella / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage
keywords: Electrode material; Geobacter sulfurreducens; Microbial fuel cell; Shewanella oneidensis; qPCR