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Comparative study of three types of microbial fuel cell

Comparative study of three types of microbial fuel cell
Comparative study of three types of microbial fuel cell
Three different generations (Gen-I, -II and -III) of microbial fuel cell (MFC), distinguished by their historical development and mechanisms of electron transfer, were compared. Gen-I utilised synthetic redox mediators combined with Escherichia coli. In contrast, the Gen-II exemplar utilised the natural mediating properties of sulphate/sulphide with the sulphate reducing species Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Gen-III MFCs were based on the anodophillic species Geobacter sulfurreducens and required no soluble mediator. Each type of MFC was operated under similar environmental conditions. In terms of substrate to power conversion efficiency, Gen-II was most efficient (64.52%), followed by Gen-III (47.38%) and Gen-I (28.12%). When output was expressed as power/unit of cells, Gen-III was 28-fold higher by comparison (33.72 × 1015 e/μg cells). For comparative purposes, these results were produced using equal rather than optimal circuit loads. Under optimal loading conditions, Gen-III produced on average five-fold higher power than under equal load and the conversion efficiency was 95%. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that these three types of MFC have been experimentally compared under similar conditions. Gen-II and -III but not Gen-I may be used advantageously in wastewater treatment and power generation from organic matter.
microbial fuel cells, dye mediators, sulphide, anodophillic bacteria, redox potential
0141-0229
238-245
Ieropoulos, IA
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
Greenman, J
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Melhuish, C
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Hart, J
e949a885-7b26-4544-9e15-32ba6f87e49a
Ieropoulos, IA
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
Greenman, J
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Melhuish, C
b810405f-9492-42d0-b8b7-8712ab11536c
Hart, J
e949a885-7b26-4544-9e15-32ba6f87e49a

Ieropoulos, IA, Greenman, J, Melhuish, C and Hart, J (2005) Comparative study of three types of microbial fuel cell. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 37 (2), 238-245. (doi:10.1016/j.enzmictec.2005.03.006).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Three different generations (Gen-I, -II and -III) of microbial fuel cell (MFC), distinguished by their historical development and mechanisms of electron transfer, were compared. Gen-I utilised synthetic redox mediators combined with Escherichia coli. In contrast, the Gen-II exemplar utilised the natural mediating properties of sulphate/sulphide with the sulphate reducing species Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Gen-III MFCs were based on the anodophillic species Geobacter sulfurreducens and required no soluble mediator. Each type of MFC was operated under similar environmental conditions. In terms of substrate to power conversion efficiency, Gen-II was most efficient (64.52%), followed by Gen-III (47.38%) and Gen-I (28.12%). When output was expressed as power/unit of cells, Gen-III was 28-fold higher by comparison (33.72 × 1015 e/μg cells). For comparative purposes, these results were produced using equal rather than optimal circuit loads. Under optimal loading conditions, Gen-III produced on average five-fold higher power than under equal load and the conversion efficiency was 95%. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that these three types of MFC have been experimentally compared under similar conditions. Gen-II and -III but not Gen-I may be used advantageously in wastewater treatment and power generation from organic matter.

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Published date: 1 July 2005
Keywords: microbial fuel cells, dye mediators, sulphide, anodophillic bacteria, redox potential

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 454685
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/454685
ISSN: 0141-0229
PURE UUID: 291458a8-e647-4785-814f-9164b9cbde92
ORCID for IA Ieropoulos: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9641-5504
ORCID for J Hart: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2348-3944

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Date deposited: 21 Feb 2022 17:34
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:10

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Contributors

Author: IA Ieropoulos ORCID iD
Author: J Greenman
Author: C Melhuish
Author: J Hart ORCID iD

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