TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhanced bio-electrochemical performance of microbially catalysed anode and cathode in a microbial electrosynthesis system
AU - Tahir, Khurram
AU - Ali, Abdul Samee
AU - Ghani, Ahsan Abdul
AU - Hussain, Muzammil
AU - Kim, Bolam
AU - Lim, Youngsu
AU - Lee, Dae Sung
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/3
Y1 - 2023/3
N2 - Most bio-electrochemical systems (BESs) use biotic/abiotic electrode combinations, with platinum-based abiotic electrodes being the most common. However, the non-renewability, cost, and poisonous nature of such electrode systems based on noble metals are major bottlenecks in BES commercialisation. Microbial electrosynthesis (MES), which is a sustainable energy platform that simultaneously treats wastewater and produces chemical commodities, also faces the same problem. In this study, a dual bio-catalysed MES system with a biotic anode and cathode (MES-D) was tested and compared with a biotic cathode/abiotic anode system (MES-S). Different bio-electrochemical tests revealed improved BES performance in MES-D, with a 3.9-fold improvement in current density compared to that of MES-S. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) generation also increased 3.2-, 4.1-, and 1.8-fold in MES-D compared with that in MES-S for acetate, propionate, and butyrate, respectively. The improved performance of MES-D could be attributed to the microbial metabolism at the bioanode, which generated additional electrons, as well as accumulative VFA production by both the bioanode and biocathode chambers. Microbial community analysis revealed the enrichment of electroactive bacteria such as Proteobacteria (60%), Bacteroidetes (67%), and Firmicutes + Proteobacteria + Bacteroidetes (75%) on the MES-S cathode and MES-D cathode and anode, respectively. These results signify the potential of combined bioanode/biocathode BESs such as MES for application in improving energy and chemical commodity production.
AB - Most bio-electrochemical systems (BESs) use biotic/abiotic electrode combinations, with platinum-based abiotic electrodes being the most common. However, the non-renewability, cost, and poisonous nature of such electrode systems based on noble metals are major bottlenecks in BES commercialisation. Microbial electrosynthesis (MES), which is a sustainable energy platform that simultaneously treats wastewater and produces chemical commodities, also faces the same problem. In this study, a dual bio-catalysed MES system with a biotic anode and cathode (MES-D) was tested and compared with a biotic cathode/abiotic anode system (MES-S). Different bio-electrochemical tests revealed improved BES performance in MES-D, with a 3.9-fold improvement in current density compared to that of MES-S. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) generation also increased 3.2-, 4.1-, and 1.8-fold in MES-D compared with that in MES-S for acetate, propionate, and butyrate, respectively. The improved performance of MES-D could be attributed to the microbial metabolism at the bioanode, which generated additional electrons, as well as accumulative VFA production by both the bioanode and biocathode chambers. Microbial community analysis revealed the enrichment of electroactive bacteria such as Proteobacteria (60%), Bacteroidetes (67%), and Firmicutes + Proteobacteria + Bacteroidetes (75%) on the MES-S cathode and MES-D cathode and anode, respectively. These results signify the potential of combined bioanode/biocathode BESs such as MES for application in improving energy and chemical commodity production.
KW - Bioanode
KW - Biocathode
KW - Dual bio-catalysed system
KW - Microbial electrosynthesis system
KW - Volatile fatty acid
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146695394&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137770
DO - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137770
M3 - Article
C2 - 36621685
AN - SCOPUS:85146695394
SN - 0045-6535
VL - 317
JO - Chemosphere
JF - Chemosphere
M1 - 137770
ER -
