Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1038/s41522-024-00490-z
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Effect of model methanogens on the electrochemical activity, stability, and microbial community structure of Geobacter spp. dominated biofilm anodes
Author Dzofou Ngoumelah, D.; Bjerkan Heggeset, T.M.; Haugen, T.; Sulheim, S.; Wentzel, A.; Harnisch, F. ORCID logo ; Kretzschmar, J.
Source Titel npj Biofilms and Microbiomes
Year 2024
Department MIBITECH
Volume 10
Page From art. 17
Language englisch
Topic T7 Bioeconomy
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41522-024-00490-z/MediaObjects/41522_2024_490_MOESM1_ESM.pdf
Keywords Applied microbiology; Next-generation sequencing
Abstract Combining anaerobic digestion (AD) and microbial electrochemical technologies (MET) in AD-MET holds great potential. Methanogens have been identified as one cause of decreased electrochemical activity and deterioration of Geobacter spp. biofilm anodes. A better understanding of the different interactions between methanogenic genera/species and Geobacter spp. biofilms is needed to shed light on the observed reduction in electrochemical activity and stability of Geobacter spp. dominated biofilms as well as observed changes in microbial communities of AD-MET. Here, we have analyzed electrochemical parameters and changes in the microbial community of Geobacter spp. biofilm anodes when exposed to three representative methanogens with different metabolic pathways, i.e., Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanobacterium formicicum, and Methanothrix soehngenii. M. barkeri negatively affected the performance and stability of Geobacter spp. biofilm anodes only in the initial batches. In contrast, M. formicicum did not affect the stability of Geobacter spp. biofilm anodes but caused a decrease in maximum current density of ~37%. M. soehngenii induced a coloration change of Geobacter spp. biofilm anodes and a decrease in the total transferred charge by ~40%. Characterization of biofilm samples after each experiment by 16S rRNA metabarcoding, whole metagenome nanopore sequencing, and shotgun sequencing showed a higher relative abundance of Geobacter spp. after exposure to M. barkeri as opposed to M. formicicum or M. soehngenii, despite the massive biofilm dispersal observed during initial exposure to M. barkeri.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=28876
Dzofou Ngoumelah, D., Bjerkan Heggeset, T.M., Haugen, T., Sulheim, S., Wentzel, A., Harnisch, F., Kretzschmar, J. (2024):
Effect of model methanogens on the electrochemical activity, stability, and microbial community structure of Geobacter spp. dominated biofilm anodes
npj Biofilms Microbiomes 10 , art. 17 10.1038/s41522-024-00490-z