High shear enrichment improves the performance of the anodophilic microbial consortium in a microbial fuel cell |
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| Authors: | Hai The Pham Nico Boon Peter Aelterman Peter Clauwaert Liesje De Schamphelaire Patrick Van Oostveldt Kim Verbeken Korneel Rabaey Willy Verstraete |
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| Institution: | 1. Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B 9000 Ghent, Belgium.;2. Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B 9000 Ghent, Belgium.;3. Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Ghent University, Technology park 903, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium.;4. Advanced Water Management Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. |
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| Abstract: | In many microbial bioreactors, high shear rates result in strong attachment of microbes and dense biofilms. In this study, high shear rates were applied to enrich an anodophilic microbial consortium in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). Enrichment at a shear rate of about 120 s?1 resulted in the production of a current and power output two to three times higher than those in the case of low shear rates (around 0.3 s?1). Biomass and biofilm analyses showed that the anodic biofilm from the MFC enriched under high shear rate conditions, in comparison with that under low shear rate conditions, had a doubled average thickness and the biomass density increased with a factor 5. The microbial community of the former, as analysed by DGGE, was significantly different from that of the latter. The results showed that enrichment by applying high shear rates in an MFC can result in a specific electrochemically active biofilm that is thicker and denser and attaches better, and hence has a better performance. |
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