Increased performance of hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells under alkaline conditions

Laura Rago; Juan A. Baeza; Albert Guisasola

doi:10.1016/j.bioelechem.2016.01.003

Increased performance of hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells under alkaline conditions

Laura Rago, Juan A. Baeza, Albert Guisasola

Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering
Grup de Tractament Biologic i Valorització d'efluents Liquids i Gasosos. Eliminació de Nutrients, Olors i compostos organics Volatils. GENOCOV

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier B.V. This work reports the first successful enrichment and operation of alkaline bioelectrochemical systems (microbial fuel cells, MFC, and microbial electrolysis cells, MEC). Alkaline (pH = 9.3) bioelectrochemical hydrogen production presented better performance (+117%) compared to conventional neutral conditions (2.6 vs 1.2 litres of hydrogen gas per litre of reactor per day, LH2·L-1REACTOR·d-1). Pyrosequencing results of the anodic biofilm showed that while Geobacter was mainly detected under conventional neutral conditions, Geoalkalibacter sp. was highly detected in the alkaline MFC (21%) and MEC (48%). This is the first report of a high enrichment of Geoalkalibacter from an anaerobic mixed culture using alkaline conditions in an MEC. Moreover, Alkalibacter sp. was highly present in the anodic biofilm of the alkaline MFC (37%), which would indicate its potentiality as a new exoelectrogen.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	57-62
Journal	Bioelectrochemistry
Volume	109
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioelechem.2016.01.003
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2016

Keywords

Alkalibacter
Alkaline
Geoalkalibacter
Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)
Microbial fuel cell (MFC)
Pyrosequencing

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goal(s)

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title = "Increased performance of hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells under alkaline conditions",

abstract = "{\textcopyright} 2016 Elsevier B.V. This work reports the first successful enrichment and operation of alkaline bioelectrochemical systems (microbial fuel cells, MFC, and microbial electrolysis cells, MEC). Alkaline (pH = 9.3) bioelectrochemical hydrogen production presented better performance (+117%) compared to conventional neutral conditions (2.6 vs 1.2 litres of hydrogen gas per litre of reactor per day, LH2·L-1REACTOR·d-1). Pyrosequencing results of the anodic biofilm showed that while Geobacter was mainly detected under conventional neutral conditions, Geoalkalibacter sp. was highly detected in the alkaline MFC (21%) and MEC (48%). This is the first report of a high enrichment of Geoalkalibacter from an anaerobic mixed culture using alkaline conditions in an MEC. Moreover, Alkalibacter sp. was highly present in the anodic biofilm of the alkaline MFC (37%), which would indicate its potentiality as a new exoelectrogen.",

keywords = "Alkalibacter, Alkaline, Geoalkalibacter, Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC), Microbial fuel cell (MFC), Pyrosequencing",

author = "Laura Rago and Baeza, {Juan A.} and Albert Guisasola",

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doi = "10.1016/j.bioelechem.2016.01.003",

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T1 - Increased performance of hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells under alkaline conditions

AU - Rago, Laura

AU - Baeza, Juan A.

AU - Guisasola, Albert

PY - 2016/6/1

Y1 - 2016/6/1

N2 - © 2016 Elsevier B.V. This work reports the first successful enrichment and operation of alkaline bioelectrochemical systems (microbial fuel cells, MFC, and microbial electrolysis cells, MEC). Alkaline (pH = 9.3) bioelectrochemical hydrogen production presented better performance (+117%) compared to conventional neutral conditions (2.6 vs 1.2 litres of hydrogen gas per litre of reactor per day, LH2·L-1REACTOR·d-1). Pyrosequencing results of the anodic biofilm showed that while Geobacter was mainly detected under conventional neutral conditions, Geoalkalibacter sp. was highly detected in the alkaline MFC (21%) and MEC (48%). This is the first report of a high enrichment of Geoalkalibacter from an anaerobic mixed culture using alkaline conditions in an MEC. Moreover, Alkalibacter sp. was highly present in the anodic biofilm of the alkaline MFC (37%), which would indicate its potentiality as a new exoelectrogen.

AB - © 2016 Elsevier B.V. This work reports the first successful enrichment and operation of alkaline bioelectrochemical systems (microbial fuel cells, MFC, and microbial electrolysis cells, MEC). Alkaline (pH = 9.3) bioelectrochemical hydrogen production presented better performance (+117%) compared to conventional neutral conditions (2.6 vs 1.2 litres of hydrogen gas per litre of reactor per day, LH2·L-1REACTOR·d-1). Pyrosequencing results of the anodic biofilm showed that while Geobacter was mainly detected under conventional neutral conditions, Geoalkalibacter sp. was highly detected in the alkaline MFC (21%) and MEC (48%). This is the first report of a high enrichment of Geoalkalibacter from an anaerobic mixed culture using alkaline conditions in an MEC. Moreover, Alkalibacter sp. was highly present in the anodic biofilm of the alkaline MFC (37%), which would indicate its potentiality as a new exoelectrogen.

KW - Alkalibacter

KW - Alkaline

KW - Geoalkalibacter

KW - Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)

KW - Microbial fuel cell (MFC)

KW - Pyrosequencing

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DO - 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2016.01.003

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