P Borole, Abhijeet, Y Hamilton, Choo, A Vishnivetskaya, Tatiana, Leak, David and Andras, Calin (2009), "Improving power production from acetate-fed microbial fuel cells via enrichment of exoelectrogenic organisms in continuous flow systems.", Biochem. Eng. J., 48: 71-80.
Abstract:
An exoelectrogenic, biofilm-forming microbial consortium was enriched in an acetate-fed microbial fuel
cell (MFC) using a flow-through anode coupled to an air-cathode. An MFC design with low electrode
spacing, high specific electrode surface area with minimal dead volume and control of external resistance
was used. In addition, continuous feeding of carbon source was employed and the MFC was operated at
intermittent high flows to enable removal of non-biofilm-forming organisms over a period of 6 months.
The consortium enriched using the modified design and operating conditions resulted in a power density
of 345Wm−3 of net anode volume (3650mWm−2), when coupled to a ferricyanide cathode. The
enriched consortium included -, -, -Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Members of the
order Rhodocyclaceae and Burkholderiaceae (Azospira sp. (49%), Acidovorax sp. (11%) and Comamonas
sp. (7%)), dominated the microbial consortium. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis
based on primers selective for archaea indicated presence of very few methanogens. Limiting the delivery
of the carbon source via continuous feeding corresponding to the maximum cathodic oxidation rates
permitted in the flow-through, air-cathode MFC resulted in coulombic efficiencies reaching 88 ± 5.7%.
Date uploaded:
2010-01-07 |
