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Biomass production from electricity using ammonia as an electron carrier in a reverse microbial fuel cell.

ABSTRACT: The storage of renewable electrical energy within chemical bonds of biofuels and other chemicals is a route to decreasing petroleum usage. A critical challenge is the efficient transfer of electrons into a biological host that can covert this energy into high energy organic compounds. In this paper, we describe an approach whereby biomass is grown using energy obtained from a soluble mediator that is regenerated electrochemically. The net result is a separate-stage reverse microbial fuel cell (rMFC) that fixes CO₂ into biomass using electrical energy. We selected ammonia as a low cost, abundant, safe, and soluble redox mediator that facilitated energy transfer to biomass. Nitrosomonas europaea, a chemolithoautotroph, was used as the biocatalyst due to its inherent capability to utilize ammonia as its sole energy source for growth. An electrochemical reactor was designed for the regeneration of ammonia from nitrite, and current efficiencies of 100% were achieved. Calculations indicated that overall bioproduction efficiency could approach 2.7±0.2% under optimal electrolysis conditions. The application of chemolithoautotrophy for industrial bioproduction has been largely unexplored, and results suggest that this and related rMFC platforms may enable biofuel and related biochemical production.

SUBMITTER: Khunjar WO

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3446996 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Electron carriers increase electricity production in methane microbial fuel cells that reverse methanogenesis.

Project description:BackgroundWe previously reversed methanogenesis in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to produce electricity for the first time from methane by combining an engineered archaeal strain that produces methyl-coenzyme M reductase from unculturable anaerobic methanotrophs (to capture methane and secrete acetate) with Geobacter sulfurreducens (to produce electrons from the generated acetate) and methane-acclimated sludge (to provide electron shuttles).ResultsHere, the power density in MFCs was increased 77-fold to 5216 mW/m2 and the current density in MFCs was increased 73-fold to 7.3 A/m2 by reducing the surface area of the cathode (to make reasonable comparisons to other MFCs), by changing the order the strains of the consortium were added to the anode compartment, and by adding additional electron carriers (e.g., humic acids and cytochrome C).ConclusionsThis power density and current density are comparable to the best for any MFC, including those with Shewanella and Geobacter spp. that utilize non-gaseous substrates. In addition, we demonstrate the methane MFC may be used to power a fan by storing the energy in a capacitor. Hence, MFCs that convert methane to electricity are limited by electron carriers.

| S-EPMC6058355 | biostudies-literature

Generation of electricity and analysis of microbial communities in wheat straw biomass-powered microbial fuel cells.

Project description:Electricity generation from wheat straw hydrolysate and the microbial ecology of electricity-producing microbial communities developed in two-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were investigated. The power density reached 123 mW/m(2) with an initial hydrolysate concentration of 1,000 mg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/liter, while coulombic efficiencies ranged from 37.1 to 15.5%, corresponding to the initial hydrolysate concentrations of 250 to 2,000 mg COD/liter. The suspended bacteria found were different from the bacteria immobilized in the biofilm, and they played different roles in electricity generation from the hydrolysate. The bacteria in the biofilm were consortia with sequences similar to those of Bacteroidetes (40% of sequences), Alphaproteobacteria (20%), Bacillus (20%), Deltaproteobacteria (10%), and Gammaproteobacteria (10%), while the suspended consortia were predominately Bacillus (22.2%). The results of this study can contribute to improving understanding of and optimizing electricity generation in microbial fuel cells.

| S-EPMC2687294 | biostudies-literature

Electricity and disinfectant production from wastewater: Microbial Fuel Cell as a self-powered electrolyser.

Project description:This study presents a simple and sustainable Microbial Fuel Cell as a standalone, self-powered reactor for in situ wastewater electrolysis, recovering nitrogen from wastewater. A process is proposed whereby the MFC electrical performance drives the electrolysis of wastewater towards the self-generation of catholyte within the same reactor. The MFCs were designed to harvest the generated catholyte in the internal chamber, which showed that liquid production rates are largely proportional to electrical current generation. The catholyte demonstrated bactericidal properties, compared to the control (open-circuit) diffusate, and reduced observable biofilm formation on the cathode electrode. Killing effects were confirmed using bacterial kill curves constructed by exposing a bioluminescent Escherichia coli target, as a surrogate coliform, to catholyte where a rapid kill rate was observed. Therefore, MFCs could serve as a water recovery system, a disinfectant/cleaner generator that limits undesired biofilm formation and as a washing agent in waterless urinals to improve sanitation. This simple and ready to implement MFC system can convert organic waste directly into electricity and self-driven nitrogen along with water recovery. This could lead to the development of energy positive bioprocesses for sustainable wastewater treatment.

| S-EPMC4865956 | biostudies-literature

Simultaneous cellulose degradation and electricity production by Enterobacter cloacae in a microbial fuel cell.

Project description:Electricity can be directly generated by bacteria in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) from many different biodegradable substrates. When cellulose is used as the substrate, electricity generation requires a microbial community with both cellulolytic and exoelectrogenic activities. Cellulose degradation with electricity production by a pure culture has not been previously demonstrated without addition of an exogenous mediator. Using a specially designed U-tube MFC, we enriched a consortium of exoelectrogenic bacteria capable of using cellulose as the sole electron donor. After 19 dilution-to-extinction serial transfers of the consortium, 16S rRNA gene-based community analysis using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and band sequencing revealed that the dominant bacterium was Enterobacter cloacae. An isolate designated E. cloacae FR from the enrichment was found to be 100% identical to E. cloacae ATCC 13047(T) based on a partial 16S rRNA sequence. In polarization tests using the U-tube MFC and cellulose as a substrate, strain FR produced 4.9 +/- 0.01 mW/m(2), compared to 5.4 +/- 0.3 mW/m(2) for strain ATCC 13047(T). These results demonstrate for the first time that it is possible to generate electricity from cellulose using a single bacterial strain without exogenous mediators.

| S-EPMC2687291 | biostudies-literature

Less biomass and intracellular glutamate in anodic biofilms lead to efficient electricity generation by microbial fuel cells.

Project description:BackgroundUsing a microbial fuel cell (MFC), we observed that a complex microbial community decomposed starch and transferred electrons to a graphite felt anode to generate current. In spite of the same reactor configuration, inoculum, substrate, temperature, and pH, MFCs produced different current and power density. To understand which factor(s) affected electricity generation, here, we analyzed a complex microbial community in an anodic biofilm and fermentation broth using Illumina MiSeq sequencing and metabolomics.ResultsMicrobial biomass on the anode was lower in MFCs generating more electricity (0.09-0.16 mg cm-2-anode) than in those generating less electricity (0.60-2.80 mg cm-2-anode), while being equal (3890-4196 mg L-1-broth) in the fermentation broth over the same operational period. Chemical oxygen demand removal and acetate concentration were also similar in fermentation broths. MFCs generating more electricity had relatively more exoelectrogenic bacteria, such as Geobacter sp., but fewer acetate-utilizing Methanosarcina sp. and/or Lactococcus sp. in anodic biofilms. Accordingly, anodic biofilms generating more electricity presented higher levels of most intracellular metabolites related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and a higher intracellular ATP/ADP ratio, but a lower intracellular NADH/NAD+ ratio. Moreover, the level of intracellular glutamate, an essential metabolite for microbial anabolic reactions, correlated negatively with current density.ConclusionMicrobial growth on the anode and intracellular glutamate levels negatively affect electricity generation by MFCs. Reduced formation of anodic biofilm, in which intracellular glutamate concentration is 33.9 μmol g-cell-1 or less, favors the growth of acetate-utilizing Geobacter sp. on the anode and improves current generation.

| S-EPMC6442422 | biostudies-literature

Electricity production and the analysis of the anode microbial community in a constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell.

Project description:The objective of this study is to assess bioelectricity generation, pollutant removal (COD, ammonium, nitrate) and the bacterial communities on anodes in constructed wetlands coupled with microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs), through feeding the systems with three different types of synthetic wastewater (system 1: normal wastewater; system 2: ammonium-free wastewater; system 3: nitrate-free wastewater). Three CW-MFCs were operated with different wastewater concentrations and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) over a long time period (6 months). The results indicate that the maximum open circuit voltage (775.63 mV) and maximum power density (0.628 W m-3) were observed in system 3 (period 3), and that bioenergy production was inhibited in system 2, when feeding with ammonium-free wastewater continuously. COD removal rates in the three systems were similar during each period and ranged from 82.2 ± 6.8% to 98.3 ± 2.2%. Ammonium removal occurred at the air cathode of the CW-MFCs through nitrification, and a higher level of ammonium removal was found in system 1 (period 3) compared with the others. Meanwhile, denitrification occurred at the anaerobic anode of the CW-MFCs, and a large amount of nitrate was removed effectively. The highest nitrate removal rate was 98.8 ± 0.5% in system 2 (period 3). Additionally, four genera related to electricity generation were detected at the anode: Geothrix; Desulfovibrio; Desulfobulbus; and Geobacter. The relative abundances of Desulfovibrio, Desulfobulbus and Geothrix gradually increased during the three periods in system 3, which might be beneficial for bioelectricity generation. Further investigations are needed to optimize the CW-MFC performance and explain the mechanism behind the pollutant degradation and electron motion in the CW-MFCs.

| S-EPMC9066182 | biostudies-literature

Bioremediation and Electricity Generation by Using Open and Closed Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells.

Project description:The industrial contamination of marine sediments with mercury, silver, and zinc in Penang, Malaysia was studied with bio-remediation coupled with power generation using membrane less open (aerated) and closed (non-aerated) sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs). The prototype for this SMFC is very similar to a natural aquatic environment because it is not stimulated externally and an oxygen sparger is inserted in the cathode chamber to create the aerobic environment in the open SMFC and no oxygen supplied in the closed SMFC. The open and closed SMFCs were showed the maximum voltage generation 300.5 mV (77.75 mW/m2) and 202.7 mV (45.04 (mW/m2), respectively. The cyclic voltammetry showed the oxidation peak in open SMFCs at +1.9 μA and reduction peak at -0.3 μA but in closed SMFCs oxidation and reduction peaks were noted at +1.5 μA and -1.0 μA, respectively. The overall impedance (anode, cathode and solution) of closed SMFCs was higher than open SMFCs. The charge transfer impedance showed that the rates of substrate oxidation and reduction were very low in the closed SMFCs than open SMFCs. The Nyquist arc indicated that O2 act as electron acceptor in the open SMFCs and CO2 in the closed SMFCs. The highest remediation efficiency of toxic metals [Hg (II) ions, Zn (II) ions, and Ag (I) ions] in the open SMFCs were 95.03%, 86.69%, and 83.65% in closed SMFCs were 69.53%, 66.57%, and 65.33%, respectively, observed during 60-80 days. The scanning electron microscope and 16S rRNA analysis showed diverse exoelectrogenic community in the open SMFCs and closed SMFCs. The results demonstrated that open SMFCs could be employed for the power generation and bioremediation of pollutants.

| S-EPMC6339898 | biostudies-literature

Electricity generation from rice bran in microbial fuel cells.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Rice bran is a by-product of the rice milling process and mostly discarded in Japan. Although many studies have shown that microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are able to generate electricity from organic wastes, limited studies have examined MFCs for generating electricity from rice bran. FINDINGS:Laboratory-scale single-chamber MFCs were inoculated with paddy field soil and supplied with rice bran for examining electricity generation. Power outputs and microbiome compositions were compared between MFCs containing pure water as the liquid phase (MFC-W) and those containing mineral solution (MFC-M). Polarization analyses showed that both MFCs successfully generated electricity with the maximum power densities of 360 and 520 mW m-2 (based on the projected area of anode) for MFC-W and MFC-M, respectively. Amplicon-sequencing analyses revealed that Trichococcus and Geobacter specifically occurred in anode biofilms in MFC-W and MFC-M, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:The results suggest that rice bran is a feasible fuel by itself for generating electricity in MFCs.

| S-EPMC5120057 | biostudies-literature

Urine microbial fuel cells in a semi-controlled environment for onsite urine pre-treatment and electricity production.

Project description:Microbial fuel cell (MFC) systems have the ability to oxidize organic matter and transfer electrons to an external circuit as electricity at voltage levels of <1 V. Urine has been shown to be an excellent feedstock for various MFC systems, particularly MFCs inoculated with activated sludge and with a terracotta ceramic membrane separating carbon-based electrodes. In this article, we studied a MFC system composed of two stacks of 32 individual cells each sharing the same anolyte. By combining the current produced by the 32 cells connected in parallel and by adding the potential of both stacks connected in series, an average power density of 23 mW m-2 was produced at an effective current density of 65 mA m-2 for more than 120 days. [NH3], TIC, COD, and TOC levels were monitored frequently to understand the chemical energy conversion to electricity as well as to determine the best electrical configuration of the stacks. Archaeal and bacterial populations on selected anode felts and in the anolyte of both stacks were investigated as well. Indicator microorganisms for bacterial waterborne diseases were measured in anolyte and catholyte compartments to evaluate the risk of reusing the catholyte in a non-regulated environment.

| S-EPMC6472131 | biostudies-literature

Microbial photoelectrosynthesis: Feeding purple phototrophic bacteria electricity to produce bacterial biomass.

Project description:Purple phototrophic bacteria are one of the main actors in chemolithotrophic carbon fixation and, therefore, fundamental in the biogeochemical cycle. These microbes are capable of using insoluble electron donors such as ferrous minerals or even carbon-based electrodes. Carbon fixation through extracellular electron uptake places purple phototrophic bacteria in the field of microbial electrosynthesis as key carbon capturing microorganisms. In this work we demonstrate biomass production dominated by purple phototrophic bacteria with a cathode (-0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl) as electron donor. In addition, we compared the growth and microbial population structure with ferrous iron as the electron donor. We detect interaction between the cathode and the consortium showing a midpoint potential of 0.05 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Microbial community analyses revealed different microbial communities depending on the electron donor, indicating different metabolic interactions. Electrochemical measurements together with population analyses point to Rhodopseudomonas genus as the key genus in the extracellular electron uptake. Furthermore, the genera Azospira and Azospirillum could play a role in the photoelectrotrophic consortium.

| S-EPMC9948228 | biostudies-literature

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