Enrichment of microbial community generating electricity using a fuel-cell-type electrochemical cell
2004
Kim, B.H. | Park, H.S. | Kim, G.T. | Chang, I.S. | Lee, J. | Phung, N.T.
A fuel cell was used to enrich a microbial consortium generating electricity, using organic wastewater as the fuel. Within 30 days of enrichment the maximum current of 0.2 mA was generated with a resistance of 1 komega. Current generation was coupled to a fall in chemical oxygen demand from over 1,700 mg l-1 down to 50 mg l-1. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis showed a different microbial population in the enriched electrode from that in the sludge used as the inoculum. Electron microscopic observation showed a biofilm on the electrode surface and microbial clumps. Nanobacteria-like particles were present on the biofilm surface. Metabolic inhibitors and electron acceptors inhibited the current generation. 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis showed a diverse bacterial population in the enrichment culture. These findings demonstrate that an electricity-generating microbial consortium can be enriched using a fuel cell and that the electrochemical activity is a form of anaerobic electron transfer.
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