GOALI: Predicting Biofilm Deformation and Detachment Using In-Situ Micro-Rheology and Phase-Field Modeling

GOALI：利用原位微流变学和相场建模预测生物膜变形和脱离

• 批准号: 1605177
• 负责人: Robert Nerenberg
• 金额: $ 32.99万
• 依托单位: University of Notre Dame
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-07-15 至 2019-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1605177&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: GOALI; Predicting; Biofilm; Deformation; Detachment

1605177NerenbergIt is recognized in environmental technology and processes that bacterial biofilms play an important role. However, the understanding of how they are formed, their mechanical strength, and, in many cases, their contribution to actual changes which are observed in the environment, are poorly understood. To gain a better understanding of bacterial biofilms, this research will characterize the mechanical properties of biofilms, especially counter-diffusional biofilms relevant to the ZeeLung Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor from GE Power and Water, to allow prediction of biofilm deformation and detachment.Biofilm deformation and detachment remains a black box, where there are no reliable and mechanistic means to predict them. Also, few researchers have considered the viscoelastic behavior of biofilms. This research will determine the mechanical properties of heterotrophic, nitrifying, and combined heterotrophic and nitrifying biofilms, considering their viscoelastic behavior. It uses a unique, in-situ micro-scale technique to assess the spatial distribution of mechanical properties. In addition to studying pure-culture biofilms, this study will be the first to address the mechanical properties of a co-culture biofilm, where a known nitrifier and heterotrophs co-exist. The pure and co-culture results will be compared with an environmental biofilm at GE. The composition of the extracellular polymeric substance matrix will be determined in-situ and related to mechanical properties. The properties will be assessed as a function of time and shear stress, and also will assess the effect of an extracellular polymeric substance disruptor on mechanical properties. This is the first research to address the micro-scale spatial variability of biofilms relevant to environmental systems. It will also address a special type of tubular, sheath structure observed in heterotrophic, counter-diffusional biofilms, leading to dense, gelatinous biofilms. The research will develop novel information on the spatial and temporal variation of mechanical properties in biofilms under several environmentally relevant conditions, and will relate these properties to extracellular polymeric substance characteristics. It also will use a novel phase-field model to predict deformation and detachment, and the impact of spatial heterogeneity. The project will train one doctoral student, several undergraduate researchers and research experiences for undergraduate students, and partially support a post-doctoral researcher. It will provide an on-site experience at GE for a grad student or post-doc. Workshops between Notre Dame and GE will disseminate knowledge on biofilm research and process development at a global membrane process company, and promote local workforce development.

1605177Nerenbergit在环境技术和过程中得到了认可，这些过程和过程中，细菌生物膜起着重要作用。但是，对它们的形成方式，其机械强度以及在许多情况下对在环境中观察到的实际变化的贡献的理解是很众所周知的。为了更好地了解细菌生物膜，这项研究将表征生物膜的机械性能，尤其是与Zeelung膜充气生物膜反应器相关的反扩散生物膜，以预测生物膜变形和脱离。支队仍然是黑匣子，那里没有可靠和机械手段来预测它们。而且，很少有研究人员认为生物膜的粘弹性行为。这项研究将确定异育，硝化和杂营和硝化生物膜的机械性能。它使用独特的原位微尺度技术来评估机械性能的空间分布。除了研究纯培养生物膜外，这项研究还将是第一个解决共培养生物膜的机械性能的研究，该生物膜是已知的硝化剂和异育共存的。将纯净和共培养结果与GE处的环境生物膜进行比较。细胞外聚合物物质基质的组成将在原位确定，并与机械性能有关。这些性质将作为时间和剪切应力的函数进行评估，还将评估细胞外聚合物药物破坏者对机械性能的影响。这是第一个解决与环境系统相关的生物膜微尺度空间变异性的研究。它还将解决一种特殊类型的管状鞘层结构，在异营养的反向扩散生物膜中观察到，导致致密的凝胶生物膜。该研究将开发有关生物膜在几种环境相关条件下机械性能的空间和时间变化的新信息，并将这些特性与细胞外聚合物物质特征相关联。它还将使用新型的相位模型来预测变形和脱离以及空间异质性的影响。该项目将培训一名博士生，几位本科研究人员和研究生的研究经验，并部分支持博士后研究人员。它将在GE为研究生或大约一名的GE提供现场体验。巴黎圣母院和GE之间的研讨会将在全球膜过程公司中传播有关生物膜研究和过程开发的知识，并促进当地的劳动力发展。