Abstract
A potential dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae was employed in dual chamber microbial fuel cell for the formation of biofilm on the anode surface. Biofilm development on the electrode was examined as extracellular polymeric substances and phospholipids quantitatively. Significant increase in open circuit voltage and the current was observed from first cycle (0.950 V, 1.250 mA) to the last cycle (1.2 V, 1.683 mA) of microbial fuel cell operation. Increasing columbic efficiency from 8 to 62% showed the amount of electrons available from the oxidation of organic matter into electricity. Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency increment from 44 to 85% establishes effective utilization of organic matter by K. pneumoniae. The scanning electron microscopic observations proved the ability to form a biofilm on an electrode surface. Results of the present study suggested that increasing power output is directly proportional to biofilm formed on the electrode surface. Biofilm development enhances the current production as a result of effective electrocatalysis by K. pneumoniae.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, Monthly Energy Review (2015). http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo. Accessed 22 Apr 2017
Kim, J.R.; Cheng, S.; Oh, S.E.; Logan, B.E.: Power generation using different cation, anion, and ultrafiltration membranes in microbial fuel cells. Environ. Sci. Technol. 41(3), 1004–1009 (2007)
Zhang, L.; Zhu, X.; Li, J.; Liao, Q.; Ye, D.: Biofilm formation and electricity generation of a microbial fuel cell started up under different external resistances. J Power. Sour. 196(15), 6029–6035 (2011)
Cao, X.; Huang, X.; Boon, N.; Liang, P.; Fan, M.: Electricity generation by an enriched phototrophic consortium in a microbial fuel cell. Electrochem. Commun. 10(9), 1392–1395 (2008)
Bond, D.R.; Lovley, D.R.: Electricity production by Geobacter sulfurreducens attached to electrodes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69(3), 1548–1555 (2003)
Wei, J.; Liang, P.; Cao, X.; Huang, X.: A new insight into potential regulation on growth and power generation of Geobacter sulfurreducens in microbial fuel cells based on energy viewpoint. Environ. Sci. Technol. 44(8), 3187–3191 (2010)
Yuvraj, C.; Aranganathan, V.: Isolation and identification of prospective dissimilatory iron reducing bacteria for electricity generation in microbial fuel cell. Int. J Adv. Lif. Sci. 8(3), 300–306 (2015)
Yuvraj, C.; Aranganathan, V.: Enhancement of voltage generation using isolated dissimilatory iron-reducing (DIR) bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae in microbial fuel cell. Arab. J. Sci. Eng. (2016). doi:10.1007/s13369-016-2108-4
Reguera, G.; McCarthy, K.D.; Mehta, T.; Nicoll, J.S.; Tuominen, M.T.; Lovley, D.R.: Extracellular electron transfer via microbial nanowires. Nature 435(7045), 1098–1101 (2005)
Miller, G.L.: Use of dinitrosalicylic acid reagent for determination of reducing sugar. Anal. Chem. 31(3), 426–428 (1959)
Lowry, O.H.; Rosebrough, N.J.; Farr, A.L.; Randall, R.J.: Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193(1), 265–275 (1951)
Aelterman, P.; Freguia, S.; Keller, J.; Verstraete, W.; Rabaey, K.: The anode potential regulates bacterial activity in microbial fuel cells. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 78(3), 409–418 (2008)
Logan, B.E.; Hamelers, B.; Rozendal, R.; Schröder, U.; Keller, J.; Freguia, S.; Rabaey, K.: Microbial fuel cells: methodology and technology. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40(17), 5181–5192 (2006)
Richter, H.; McCarthy, K.; Nevin, K.P.; Johnson, J.P.; Rotello, V.M.; Lovley, D.R.: Electricity generation by Geobacter sulfurreducens attached to gold electrodes. Langmuir 24(8), 4376–4379 (2008)
Zhang, L.; Zhou, S.; Zhuang, L.; Li, W.; Zhang, J.; Lu, N.; Deng, L.: Microbial fuel cell based on Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm. Electrochem. Commun. 10(10), 1641–1643 (2008)
Findlay, R.H.; King, G.M.; Watling, L.: Efficacy of phospholipid analysis in determining microbial biomass in sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 55(11), 2888–2893 (1989)
Ahimou, F.; Semmens, M.J.; Novak, P.J.; Haugstad, G.: Biofilm cohesiveness measurement using a novel atomic force microscopy methodology. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73(9), 2897–2904 (2007)
Wicker-Böckelmann, U.; Wingender, J.; Winkler, U.K.: Alginate lyase releases cell-bound lipase from mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Zbl. Bakt Int. J. Med. M. 266(3), 379–389 (1987)
Albelo, S.T.; Domenech, C.E.: Carbons from choline present in the phospholipids of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 156(2), 271–274 (1997)
Allison, D.G.: Exopolysaccharide production in bacterial biofilms. Biofilm J. 3(1), 1–19 (1998)
Flemming, H.C.; Wingender, J.; Mayer, C.; Korstgens, V.; Borchard, W.: (2000). Cohesiveness in biofilm matrix polymers. In Symposia-Society for General Microbiology (pp. 87–106). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1999).
Baranitharan, E.; Khan, M.R.; Prasad, D.M.R.: Treatment of palm oil mill effluent in microbial fuel cell using polyacrylonitrile carbon felt as electrode. J Med. Biol. Eng. 2(4), 252–256 (2013)
Khater, D.; El-khatib, K.M.; Hazaa, M.; Hassan, R.Y.: Electricity generation using Glucose as substrate in microbial fuel cell. J. Bas. Environ. Sci. 2, 84–98 (2015)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yuvraj, C., Aranganathan, V. MFC—An Approach in Enhancing Electricity Generation Using Electroactive Biofilm of Dissimilatory Iron-Reducing (DIR) Bacteria. Arab J Sci Eng 42, 2341–2347 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-017-2529-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-017-2529-8