Open AccessUse of acetate for enrichment of electrochemically active microorganisms and their 16S rDNA analyses
Author(s) -
Lee Jiyoung,
Phung Nguyet Thu,
Chang In Seop,
Kim Byung Hong,
Sung Ha Chin
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1016/s0378-1097(03)00356-2
Subject(s) - microbial fuel cell , activated sludge , oxidizing agent , microorganism , 16s ribosomal rna , wastewater , chemistry , microbial population biology , temperature gradient gel electrophoresis , microbial consortium , bacteria , biology , electrode , organic chemistry , environmental engineering , environmental science , anode , genetics
A fuel cell‐type electrochemical device has been used to enrich microbes oxidizing acetate with concomitant electricity generation without using an electron mediator from activated sludge. The device generated a stable current of around 5 mA with complete oxidation of 5 mM acetate at the hydraulic retention time of 2.5 h after 4 weeks of enrichment. Over 70% of electrons available from acetate oxidation was recovered as current. Carbon monoxide or hydrogen did not influence acetate oxidation or current generation from the microbial fuel cell (MFC). Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis showed that DNA extracted from the acetate‐enriched MFC had different 16S rDNA patterns from those of sludge or glucose+glutamate‐enriched MFCs. Nearly complete 16S rDNA sequence analyses showed that diverse bacteria were enriched in the MFC fed with acetate. Electron microscopic observations showed biofilm developed on the electrode, but not microbial clumps observed in MFCs fed with complex fuel such as glucose and wastewater from a corn‐processing factory.