Promoting interspecies electron transfer with biochar.
Biochar, a charcoal-like product of the incomplete combustion of organic materials, is an increasingly popular soil amendment designed to improve soil fertility. We investigated the possibility that biochar could promote direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) in a manner similar to that previously reported for granular activated carbon (GAC). Although the biochars investigated were 1000 times less conductive than GAC, they stimulated DIET in co-cultures of Geobacter metallireducens with Geobacter sulfurreducens or Methanosarcina barkeri in which ethanol was the electron donor. Cells were attached to the biochar, yet not in close contact, suggesting that electrons were likely conducted through the biochar, rather than biological electrical connections. The finding that biochar can stimulate DIET may be an important consideration when amending soils with biochar and can help explain why biochar may enhance methane production from organic wastes under anaerobic conditions.
1] Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA [2] School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
Shanshan
S
Chen
1] Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA [2].
Amelia-Elena
AE
Rotaru
1] Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA [2].
Pravin Malla
PM
Shrestha
1] Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA [2] Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Nikhil S
NS
Malvankar
1] Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA [2] Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
Fanghua
F
Liu
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Wei
W
Fan
Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Kelly P
KP
Nevin
Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Derek R
DR
Lovley
D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004579:Electron Transport; D004583:Electrons; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D045302:Geobacter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D017021:Methanosarcina barkeri / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*
D012987:Soil; C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal; D000431:Ethanol