微生物燃料电池在毒性物质检测中的应用

微生物燃料电池(Microbial fuel cell,MFC)利用微生物整体作为催化剂催化底物将化学能直接转化为电能,是一种极具应用前景的生物电化学技术。微生物在阳极氧化还原有机物产生电子并传递给阳极,电子通过外电路传递至阴极后将电子释放给阴极中的氧化剂,从而产生电流。当有毒物质进入MFC,微生物活性降低,电子传递量变少,电流降低,而电流的产生与微生物活性呈线性关系,据此可检测样品的毒性。本文主要介绍了微生物燃料电池在毒性物质抗生素、重金属离子、有机污染物、酸等方面的研究,并分析了微生物燃料电池存在的问题及未来研究方向,以期不久的将来微生物燃料电池能付之使用。     

木质纤维素预处理及高值化技术研究进展

木质纤维素生物质是地球上最丰富的可再生生物资源。随着化石能源的消耗及环境的污染,以取代石化燃料为目标的由生物质向生物燃料的转化受到了广泛的关注。木质纤维素有很强的天然抗降解屏障,需先通过物理、化学及微生物等手段进行预处理,进而以更低的成本和更高的效率转化为生物燃料及其他高附加值产品。本文在总结酸碱等传统预处理方法优缺点的基础上,综述了各种组合预处理对这些传统预处理方法的改进,以及γ-戊内酯预处理、低共熔溶剂预处理、微生物联合体生态位预处理这些新型预处理技术的研究进展,总结了木质素高值化过程中木质素的保护、解聚、改性的新方法,指出了预处理方法在工业生产中的应用及不足,以期为木质纤维素生物质转化的研究提供参考。     

微生物燃料电池内阻及其影响因素分析

微生物燃料电池(MFC)是一种通过微生物的催化作用将有机物中的化学能直接转化为电能的生物反应装置,研究表明内阻是限制微生物燃料电池产能的重要因素。本文对目前国内外有关微生物燃料电池内阻的研究成果进行了总结,系统介绍了微生物燃料电池内阻定义、构成和常用的微生物燃料电池内阻测定方法,重点分析了反应器、产电底物、产电微生物和操作条件等对微生物燃料电池内阻的影响,并结合已有的研究结果提出了降低内阻、提高微生物燃料电池产电性能的可行性方法。     

生物降解木质纤维素类生物质固废物的研究进展

自然界中的细菌、真菌和放线菌以及某些病毒都是能够降解某种纤维素的重要微生物，现代科技的发展使这种降解功能得以被发现。自然界的各种微生物在生物质固废能源转换和利用上具有十分重要的作用，不仅能够变废为宝，还能对生物质固废进行资源化利用。文章对生物质固废的相关处理技术、生物降解木质纤维素类生物质固废物的成果进行分析，总结了将微生物应用于生物质固废处理中的相关技术，并以物质纤维素固废为单位探讨分析相应的技术，旨在为我国的资源利用和绿色发展提供帮助与参考。     

运动发酵单胞菌在生物炼制中的研究进展

以木质纤维素生物质为原料的生物炼制技术已成为全球研发的热点和难点。欧盟国家和美国的中长期生物质能源发展路线图中均将木质纤维素生物炼制技术作为重要目标,但是目前整体水平尚处于中试阶段。我国的纤维素类生物质原料非常丰富,将其转化成燃料乙醇及生物基础化学品等具有较大的潜力,但当前要想实现商业化生产,还面临着很多瓶颈问题亟待解决。缺乏能够同时高效利用纤维素类水解物的发酵菌株,已成为纤维素生物质高效与高值转化的关键制约因素。运动发酵单胞菌是目前唯一一种通过ED途径兼性厌氧发酵葡萄糖的微生物,其独特的代谢途径使其成为构建产乙醇工程菌的优选宿主之一;同时由于该菌具有较高的糖利用效率等优点,也是其他生物基化学品生产的重要候选平台微生物,如山梨醇、葡萄糖酸、丁二酸和异丁醇等。本文从该菌的研究历程、分子生物学基础、菌种改良及该菌在生物能源及生物基化学品等生物炼制体系中的应用研究角度进行了综述,并提出该菌可作为纤维素生物质生物炼制系统的新的重要平台微生物。     

利用木质纤维素生产丁醇的研究进展

随着化石燃料的逐年减少,以生物质为原料的生物能源研究近年来成为能源领域的研究热点,充分利用可再生生物质为发展经济的生物燃料生产工艺提供了一个极好的机会。与燃料乙醇和生物柴油相比,生物丁醇更具有优越性,以可再生木质纤维素生物质为原料进行发酵生产丁醇在近年来被广泛的研究。对于利用可再生生物质为原料生产丁醇,需要解决原料的选择、产品收率低、抑制物对生产菌株毒性等问题。本文对以木质纤维素生物质为原料进行生物丁醇发酵过程中的原料预处理、抑制物对丁醇生产菌的影响,以及水解液的脱毒和耐抑制物菌株的选育等方面进行综述,并对以木质纤维素生产燃料丁醇所面临的机遇与问题进行了简要评述。     

生物转化能源草制取纤维素乙醇的研究进展

随着化石燃料的日益枯竭和环境污染的日益加剧,寻找一种绿色能源以代替化石能源成为当今世界迫在眉睫的任务。清洁燃料当中的生物乙醇具有车用价值,可作为化石能源的替代品而受到研究学者的广泛关注。而草本能源植物的生物转化被认为是生物质能源产业化发展的最有效途径之一。能源草作为木质纤维素原料之一,由于其具有生长快,产量高,抗性强等优势而备受瞩目。详细论述了近期国内外以能源草为底物进行纤维素乙醇的生物转化研究进展,从纤维素原料预处理到乙醇发酵工艺等各方面的进展及存在的问题,并对木质纤维素制取生物质能源的生物转化效率,以及全纤维素组分的多级利用进行了简单阐述,以期找出一条产业化生产纤维素乙醇的最优生产模式。     

木质纤维素生物炼制的研究进展

木质纤维素是一种广泛存在的可再生生物质资源,主要由纤维素、半纤维素和木质素组成。如何更有效地综合利用木质纤维素是当前面临的世界性难题。本文中,笔者梳理了木质纤维素生物化学法转化生产以燃料乙醇为代表的生物基产品,特别是转化过程中关键技术环节的研究现状及难点,深入探讨了木质素的生物转化利用趋势,并综述了合成生物学在这些领域的研究趋势和最新成果。本文力图描绘出木质纤维素生物炼制研究全景,为后续研究提供潜在思路。     

微生物降解木质纤维素类生物质固废的研究进展

自然界中的细菌、真菌、放线菌及某些病毒是降解木质纤维素的主要微生物,它们在生物质固废能源的转化和利用上起桥梁作用,能变废为宝,实现生物质固废的资源化利用。根据生物质固废相关处理技术及生物质固废资源化成果转化,总结微生物降解生物质固废的有关处理技术及应用。在综合国内外现有研究成果的基础上,以木质纤维素类生物质固废为例,从微生物种类和生物质固废资源化成果转化两个方面对微生物降解木质纤维素类生物质固废有关技术进行分析,提出每项技术存在的问题,并展望每项技术的发展前景。     

木质纤维素生物质预处理研究现状

预处理是木质纤维素生物质转化为燃料乙醇的关键步骤,综述了现有常见预处理技术的国内外研究现状,同时分析比较了各处理技术的优缺点,并对今后木质纤维素生物质预处理的主要研究方向进行了展望,以期为木质纤维素生物质转化条件的优化提供参考。     

The significance of the initiation process parameters and reactor design for maximizing the efficiency of microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can be used for electricity generation via bioconversion of wastewater and organic waste substrates. MFCs also hold potential for production of certain chemicals, such as H₂ and H₂O₂. The studies of electricity generation in MFCs have mainly focused on the microbial community formation, substrate effect on the anode reaction, and the cathode’s catalytic properties. To improve the performance of MFCs, the initiation process requires more investigation because of its significant effect on the anodic biofilm formation. This review explores the factors which affect the initiation process, including inoculum, substrate, and reactor configuration. The key messages are that optimal performance of MFCs for electricity production requires (1) understanding of the electrogenic bacterial biofilm formation, (2) proper substrates at the initiation stage, (3) focus on operational conditions affecting initial biofilm formation, and (4) attention to the reactor configuration.     

光合细菌在微生物燃料电池中的应用研究进展

微生物燃料电池(Microbial fuel cells,MFCs)降解污染物的同时产生电能,受到广泛关注。光合细菌在MFCs领域的应用实现了污水处理、CO2捕捉、光电转换等多重功能,并显示出了良好的产电特性。本文根据光合细菌在MFCs中所起作用的不同对其产电机理进行评述,并在此基础上分析了光照对光合细菌型MFCs产电性能的影响;针对当前研究的不足与面临的问题,提出了今后光合细菌在MFCs领域的应用前景与发展方向。     

Overview on the developments of microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology for electricity production from a variety of materials, such as natural organic matter, complex organic waste or renewable biomass, and can be advantageously combined with applications in wastewater treatment. The problem with MFCs is that they are technically still very far from attaining acceptable levels of power output, since the performance of this type of fuel cells is affected by limitations based on irreversible reactions and processes occurring both on the anode and cathode side. However, in the last years, there has been a growing amount of work on MFCs which managed to increase power outputs by an order of magnitude.The present review article discusses a number of biological and engineering aspects related to improvement of MFC performance including the effect of important parameters, such as pH, temperature, feed rate, shear stress and organic load. The recent progresses on scale-up MFC are summarized and the different modelling approaches to describe the different biological and transport phenomena in MFCs are also provided.     

Electricity generation from carbon monoxide and syngas in a microbial fuel cell

Electricity generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has been a subject of significant research efforts. MFCs employ the ability of electricigenic bacteria to oxidize organic substrates using an electrode as an electron acceptor. While MFC application for electricity production from a variety of organic sources has been demonstrated, very little research on electricity production from carbon monoxide and synthesis gas (syngas) in an MFC has been reported. Although most of the syngas today is produced from non-renewable sources, syngas production from renewable biomass or poorly degradable organic matter makes energy generation from syngas a sustainable process, which combines energy production with the reprocessing of solid wastes. An MFC-based process of syngas conversion to electricity might offer a number of advantages such as high Coulombic efficiency and biocatalytic activity in the presence of carbon monoxide and sulfur components. This paper presents a discussion on microorganisms and reactor designs that can be used for operating an MFC on syngas.     

微生物燃料电池生物质能利用现状与展望

作为一种新概念的废物处理与能源化技术,微生物燃料电池研究在过去10年里取得了长足的进步和技术突破。本文在简要介绍微生物燃料电池研究现状基础上,系统综述了该技术及与其他技术耦合在生物质能利用方面的最新研究进展,重点分析了其中存在的问题,并展望了该技术在生物质能转化和利用方面的研究前景。     

A state of the art review on microbial fuel cells: A promising technology for wastewater treatment and bioenergy

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a bioreactor that converts chemical energy in the chemical bonds in organic compounds to electrical energy through catalytic reactions of microorganisms under anaerobic conditions. It has been known for many years that it is possible to generate electricity directly by using bacteria to break down organic substrates. The recent energy crisis has reinvigorated interests in MFCs among academic researchers as a way to generate electric power or hydrogen from biomass without a net carbon emission into the ecosystem. MFCs can also be used in wastewater treatment facilities to break down organic matters. They have also been studied for applications as biosensors such as sensors for biological oxygen demand monitoring. Power output and Coulombic efficiency are significantly affected by the types of microbe in the anodic chamber of an MFC, configuration of the MFC and operating conditions. Currently, real-world applications of MFCs are limited because of their low power density level of several thousand mW/m2. Efforts are being made to improve the performance and reduce the construction and operating costs of MFCs. This article presents a critical review on the recent advances in MFC research with emphases on MFC configurations and performances.     

微生物燃料电池在环境污染治理研究中的应用进展

近年来,微生物燃料电池(Microbial fuel cells,MFCs)研究得到了迅速发展。由于可以将可生物降解有机物的化学能直接转化为电能,MFCs在环境污染治理及生物产电方面具有良好的应用前景。本文将全面介绍和总结MFCs在环境污染治理中的研究及应用,其中包括脱氮、脱硫、有机污染物降解、重金属污染治理以及垃圾渗滤液处理等方面。此外,本文还提出MFCs在研究及应用过程中存在的主要问题,并对其研究前景进行展望。     

Microbial Fuel Cells and Microbial Ecology: Applications in Ruminant Health and Production Research

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) systems employ the catalytic activity of microbes to produce electricity from the oxidation of organic, and in some cases inorganic, substrates. MFC systems have been primarily explored for their use in bioremediation and bioenergy applications; however, these systems also offer a unique strategy for the cultivation of synergistic microbial communities. It has been hypothesized that the mechanism(s) of microbial electron transfer that enable electricity production in MFCs may be a cooperative strategy within mixed microbial consortia that is associated with, or is an alternative to, interspecies hydrogen (H₂) transfer. Microbial fermentation processes and methanogenesis in ruminant animals are highly dependent on the consumption and production of H₂in the rumen. Given the crucial role that H₂ plays in ruminant digestion, it is desirable to understand the microbial relationships that control H₂ partial pressures within the rumen; MFCs may serve as unique tools for studying this complex ecological system. Further, MFC systems offer a novel approach to studying biofilms that form under different redox conditions and may be applied to achieve a greater understanding of how microbial biofilms impact animal health. Here, we present a brief summary of the efforts made towards understanding rumen microbial ecology, microbial biofilms related to animal health, and how MFCs may be further applied in ruminant research.     

Miniaturizing microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent an emerging technology for electricity generation from renewable biomass. Given the demand for a better understanding of the bio/inorganic interface that plays a key role in MFC energy production, small-scale MFCs are receiving considerable attention owing to their intrinsic advantages in both fundamental studies and applications as high-throughput platforms. Here, we present a brief review centered on the development of miniature MFCs at the milliliter to microliter scale. The principles, design motifs and experimental demonstrations of representative miniature MFC devices and systems are introduced, followed by a discussion of the key challenges and opportunities for realizing the exciting potentials of miniaturized MFCs.     

Controlling accumulation of fermentation inhibitors in biorefinery recycle water using microbial fuel cells

Background  

Microbial fuel cells (MFC) and microbial electrolysis cells are electrical devices that treat water using microorganisms and convert soluble organic matter into electricity and hydrogen, respectively. Emerging cellulosic biorefineries are expected to use large amounts of water during production of ethanol. Pretreatment of cellulosic biomass results in production of fermentation inhibitors which accumulate in process water and make the water recycle process difficult. Use of MFCs to remove the inhibitory sugar and lignin degradation products from recycle water is investigated in this study.