A novel model for predicting bioelectrochemical performance of microsized-MFCs by incorporating bacterial chemotaxis parameters and simulation of biofilm formation

Bacterial transport parameters play a fundamental role in microbial population dynamics, biofilm formation and bacteria dispersion. In this study, the novel model was extended based on the capability of microsized microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as amperometric biosensors to predict the cells' chemotactic and bioelectrochemical properties. The model prediction results coincide with the experimental data of Shewanella oneidensis and chemotaxis mutant of P. aeruginosa bdlA and pilT strains, indicating the complementary role of numerical predictions for bioscreening applications of microsized MFCs. Considering the general mechanisms for electron transfer, substrate biodegradation, microbial growth and bacterial dispersion are the main features of the presented model. In addition, the genetic algorithm method was implemented by minimizing the objective function to estimate chemotaxis properties of the different strains. Microsized MFC performance was assessed by analyzing the microbial activity in the biofilm and the anolyte.