Effects of Fluid Environment on Microbial Uptake Kinetics
Abstract
The purpose of this research project was to test our hypothesis that microbial uptake of large molecular weight compounds could be increased by fluid shear and advective flow past the microorganisms. This hypothesis was based on a biohydrodynamical uptake model derived from mass transfer and coagulation theories. In a series of experiments using both pure cultures of bacteria and natural assemblages of marine bacteria, we demonstrated that advective transport past bacteria increased uptake of low molecular weight compounds such as leucine. As predicted, fluid shear did not affect uptake of small molecular weight compounds with low diffusivities. However, fluid shear did increase uptake by suspended bacteria of large molecular weight compounds. Enhanced uptake was only observed when microbial transport systems were not saturated, since concentration gradients must be present at the cell surface in order for the fluid mechanical environment to affect uptake kinetics. These results imply that under nutrient limited conditions, attachment to detritus or other marine surfaces could increase bacterial uptake if there is sufficient advective flow past the cell.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 26, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA227354
Entities
People
- Bruce E. Logan
Organizations
- University of Arizona