Modelling extracellular limitations for mediated versus direct interspecies electron transfer.

ABSTRACT: Interspecies electron transfer (IET) is important for many anaerobic processes, but is critically dependent on mode of transfer. In particular, direct IET (DIET) has been recently proposed as a metabolically advantageous mode compared with mediated IET (MIET) via hydrogen or formate. We analyse relative feasibility of these IET modes by modelling external limitations using a reaction-diffusion-electrochemical approach in a three-dimensional domain. For otherwise identical conditions, external electron transfer rates per cell pair (cp) are considerably higher for formate-MIET (317 × 10(3) e(-) cp(-1) s(-1)) compared with DIET (44.9 × 10(3) e(-) cp(-1) s(-1)) or hydrogen-MIET (5.24 × 10(3) e(-) cp(-1) s(-1)). MIET is limited by the mediator concentration gradient at which reactions are still

SUBMITTER: Storck T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4817672 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature