Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.advwatres.2025.105018
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Intermittent flow paths in biofilms grown in a microfluidic channel
Author Bozkurt, K.; Lohrmann, C.; Weinhardt, F. ORCID logo ; Hanke, D.; Hopp, R.; Gerlach, R.; Holm, C.; Class, H.
Source Titel Advances in Water Resources
Year 2025
Department TECH
Volume 203
Page From art. 105018
Language englisch
Topic T7 Bioeconomy
Keywords Biofilm; Shear stress; Preferential flow paths; Detachment events; Microfluidics
Abstract Biofilms exposed to flow experience shear stress, which leads to a competitive interaction between the growth and development of a biofilm and shearing. In this study, Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilm was grown in a microfluidic channel and exposed to forced flow of an aqueous solution of variable velocity. It can be observed that under certain conditions preferential flow paths form with a dynamic, but quasi-steady state interaction of growth, detachment, and re-attachment. We find that the regimes for preferential flow path development are determined by nutrient availability and the ratio of shear stress versus the biofilm’s ability to resist shear forces. The intermittent regime of flow paths is mainly driven by the supply with nutrients, which we confirm by comparison with a numerical model based on coarse-grained molecular dynamics and Lattice Boltzmann hydrodynamics.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=30992
Bozkurt, K., Lohrmann, C., Weinhardt, F., Hanke, D., Hopp, R., Gerlach, R., Holm, C., Class, H. (2025):
Intermittent flow paths in biofilms grown in a microfluidic channel
Adv. Water Resour. 203 , art. 105018 10.1016/j.advwatres.2025.105018