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A selection strategy for enhancing exoelectrogenic consortium towards improved power generation in microbial fuel cells
Author(s) -
Aiyer Kartik S.,
Vijayakumar B.S.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.6154
Subject(s) - microbial fuel cell , subculture (biology) , chemistry , electron transfer , electron acceptor , electricity generation , chemical engineering , nuclear chemistry , power (physics) , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , engineering , biology , physics , thermodynamics
Summary A selection method to develop an electrogenic consortium for improved power generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is described. Raw domestic sewage was inoculated in a nutrient medium with Fe(III) hydroxide as the electron acceptor and subculturing was done. Subcultures were tested for Fe(III) reduction using ferrozine assay, microbial electron transfer activity using the Dye Reduction‐based Electron‐transfer Activity Monitoring (DREAM) assay and power generation in a MFC. Subcultures grown with Fe(III) demonstrated improvements in electron transfer activity and power generating ability, while cultures grown without Fe(III) did not exhibit these properties. The enriched Fe(III) subculture generated a maximum power density of 129.25 ± 7 mW/m 2 , while the subculture grown without Fe(III) generated only 81.54 ± 8 mW/m 2 . A high correlation was observed between DREAM assay and power generation (r = +0.963). Cyclic voltammetry corroborated the high electrochemical activity of the Fe‐enriched subculture. This method offers a simple and efficient way to enrich an electrogenic consortium for improved performance from routinely used inocula.