Issue 21, 2015

Modeling and CFD simulation of nutrient distribution in picoliter bioreactors for bacterial growth studies on single-cell level

Abstract

A microfluidic device for microbial single-cell cultivation of bacteria was modeled and simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics. The liquid velocity field and the mass transfer within the supply channels and cultivation chambers were calculated to gain insight in the distribution of supplied nutrients and metabolic products secreted by the cultivated bacteria. The goal was to identify potential substrate limitations or product accumulations within the cultivation device. The metabolic uptake and production rates, colony size, and growth medium composition were varied covering a wide range of operating conditions. Simulations with glucose as substrate did not show limitations within the typically used concentration range, but for alternative substrates limitations could not be ruled out. This lays the foundation for further studies and the optimization of existing picoliter bioreactor systems.

Graphical abstract: Modeling and CFD simulation of nutrient distribution in picoliter bioreactors for bacterial growth studies on single-cell level

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Jun 2015
Accepted
01 Sep 2015
First published
01 Sep 2015
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Lab Chip, 2015,15, 4177-4186

Author version available

Modeling and CFD simulation of nutrient distribution in picoliter bioreactors for bacterial growth studies on single-cell level

C. Westerwalbesloh, A. Grünberger, B. Stute, S. Weber, W. Wiechert, D. Kohlheyer and E. von Lieres, Lab Chip, 2015, 15, 4177 DOI: 10.1039/C5LC00646E

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements