Combined Theoretical and Experimental Approaches for Bacterial Aggregation Studies Towards the Improvement of Bioremediation Processes

DANIEL, MARÍA ALEJANDRA; GOTTING, ANDREA; BERAHA NATALIA; CARUSELA M. FLORENCIA; VULLO, DIANA

Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Enviroment

JSWEDES

Año: 2023

Pseudomonas extremaustralis 2E-UNGS is a microorganism native to the contaminated Reconquista River, Argentina. It can aggregate, develop biofilms and biosorb metals, properties that contribute to its application in bioreactor design. The aim of this work was to study the aggregate formation kinetics of P. extremaustralis 2E-UNGS for electroplating effluent biotreatment improvement. The kinetics was studied by brightfield microscopy and FIJI® for digital analysis. Time-dependent dispersion of cell cluster sizes was obtained. A physical model based on self-assembled 2D micelle dispersions was used to describe the energetic cost of the aggregation process. A complex culture medium promoted the formation of small and compact cell aggregates. On the contrary, a minimal medium with 2% glycerol promoted larger and lower density aggregates. Contrasting experimental and numerical results shed light on some of the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of bacterial aggregation and are useful for optimising environmental biotechnologies.