Comment on “On electrical conductivity of microbial nanowires and biofilms” by S. M. Strycharz-Glaven, R. M. Snider, A. Guiseppi-Elie and L. M. Tender, Energy Environ. Sci., 2011, 4, 4366

A paper published in Energy and Environmental Science by Strycharz-Glaven et al. suggests that electron transport along the pili and through the conductive biofilms of Geobacter sulfurreducens proceeds via electron superexchange rather than metallic-like conductivity. Multiple lines of evidence disprove the superexchange hypothesis, but are consistent with metallic-like conductivity.