Current production in a microbial fuel cell using a pure culture of Cupriavidus basilensis growing in acetate or phenol as a carbon source. Issue 4 (10th January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Friman, Hen; Schechter, Alex; Ioffe, Yulia; Nitzan, Yeshayahu; Cahan, Rivka
• Is Part Of: Microbial biotechnology. Volume 6:Issue 4(2013:Jul.)
• Page Start: 425
• Page End: 434
• Publication Date: 2013-01-10
• Subjects: Microbial biotechnology -- Periodicals; Biotechnology; Microbiology; 660.62
• DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12026
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-7915

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <p>A microbial fuel cell (MFC) was operated with a pure culture of <italic>Cupriavidus basilensis</italic> bacterial cells growing in the anode compartment in a defined medium containing acetate or phenol. Operating this mediator‐less MFC under a constant external resistor of 1 kΩ with acetate or phenol led to current generation of 902 and 310 mA m⁻² respectively. In the MFC which was operated using acetate or phenol, the current density measured from the plankton bacterial cells with a fresh electrode was 125 and 109 mA m⁻², respectively, whereas the current obtained with biofilm‐covered electrodes in sterile medium was 541 and 228 mA m⁻² respectively. After 72 h in the MFC, 86% of the initial phenol concentration was removed, while only 64% was removed after the same time in the control MFC which was held at an open circuit potential (OCP). Furthermore, SEM and confocal microscopy analyses demonstrated a developed biofilm with a live <italic>C. basilensis</italic> population. In conclusion, in this study we demonstrated, for the first time, use of <italic>C. basilensis</italic> facultative aerobe bacterial cells in a MFC using acetate or phenol as the sole carbon source which led to electricity generation.</p> </abstract>