Effect of selenite on the morphology and respiratory activity of Phanerochaete chrysosporium biofilms
- Espinosa-Ortiz, Erika J. [ UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Netherlands ]
- Pechaud, Yoan [ Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Géomatériaux et Environnement, France ]
- Lauchnor, Ellen [ Montana State University: Civil Engineering ] [ Montana State University: Chemical & Biological Engineering ] [ Montana State University: Center for Biofilm Engineering ]
- Rene, Eldon R. [ UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Netherlands ]
- Robin Gerlach [ Montana State University: Chemical & Biological Engineering ] [ Montana State University: Center for Biofilm Engineering ]
- Brent M. Peyton [ Montana State University: Chemical & Biological Engineering ] [ Montana State University: Center for Biofilm Engineering ]
- van Hullebusch, Eric D. [ Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Géomatériaux et Environnement, France ]
- Lens, Piet N.L. [ UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Netherlands ]
The temporal and spatial effects of selenite (SeO32−) on the physical properties and respiratory activity of Phanerochaete chrysosporium biofilms, grown in flow-cell reactors, were investigated using oxygen microsensors and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging. Exposure of the biofilm to a SeO32− load of 1.67 mg Se L−1 h−1 (10 mg Se L−1 influent concentration), for 24 h, resulted in a 20% reduction of the O2 flux, followed by a ∼10% decrease in the glucose consumption rate. Long-term exposure (4 days) to SeO32− influenced the architecture of the biofilm by creating a more compact and dense hyphal arrangement resulting in a decrease of biofilm thickness compared to fungal biofilms grown without SeO32−. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the effect of SeO32− on the aerobic respiratory activity on fungal biofilms is described.