A completely anoxic microbial fuel cell using a photo-biocathode for cathodic carbon dioxide reduction

Cao, Xun; Huang, Xia; Liang, Peng; Boon, Nico; Fan, Mingzhi; Zhang, Lin; Zhang, Xiaoyuan

doi:10.1039/b901069f

Cited by 157 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…BESs with microorganisms at the bioanode or biocathode generally may be combined with any other known bio or chemical half-reaction at the other electrode ). Recently, MFCs were developed with mediatorless biocathodes using various final electron acceptors like oxygen (Bergel et al 2005), nitrate (Clauwaert et al 2007a), or CO 2 (Cao et al 2009). The last years, BES research has also moved in the direction from producing electricity in MFCs to MEC applications using microorganisms as novel biocatalysts that produce all kinds of value added products like H 2 (Rozendal et al 2006b), CH 4 ), H 2 O 2 ), or ethanol (Steinbusch et al 2009), while using final electron acceptors like protons, CO 2 , and acetate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New applications and performance of bioelectrochemical systems

Hamelers

Heijne

Sleutels

et al. 2009

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

255

134

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Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are emerging technologies which use microorganisms to catalyze the reactions at the anode and/or cathode. BES research is advancing rapidly, and a whole range of applications using different electron donors and acceptors has already been developed. In this mini review, we focus on technological aspects of the expanding application of BESs. We will analyze the anode and cathode half-reactions in terms of their standard and actual potential and report the overpotentials of these half-reactions by comparing the reported potentials with their theoretical potentials. When combining anodes with cathodes in a BES, new bottlenecks and opportunities arise. For application of BESs, it is crucial to lower the internal energy losses and increase productivity at the same time. Membranes are a crucial element to obtain high efficiencies and pure products but increase the internal resistance of BESs. The comparison between production of fuels and chemicals in BESs and in present production processes should gain more attention in future BES research. By making this comparison, it will become clear if the scope of BESs can and should be further developed into the field of biorefineries.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New applications and performance of bioelectrochemical systems

Hamelers

Heijne

Sleutels

et al. 2009

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

255

134

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“…The majority of these adaptations utilize photosynthetic processes only at the biofilm anode, such as photosynthetic generation of hydrogen or photosynthetically derived electrons for electricity generation (5)(6)(7). Few studies have focused on photosynthetic processes at the biofilm cathode (1,(8)(9)(10). For example, He et al (8), reported on the self-assembly of a synergistic phototrophicheterotrophic cathode biofilm from a sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) (a microbial fuel cell comprised of an organic-matteroxidizing anode embedded in anoxic marine sediment and an oxygen-reducing cathode positioned in overlying oxic water [11,12]).…”

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confidence: 99%

Electrochemical Investigation of a Microbial Solar Cell Reveals a Nonphotosynthetic Biocathode Catalyst

Glaven

Wang

Zhou

et al. 2013

Appl Environ Microbiol

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c Microbial solar cells (MSCs) are microbial fuel cells (MFCs) that generate their own oxidant and/or fuel through photosynthetic reactions. Here, we present electrochemical analyses and biofilm 16S rRNA gene profiling of biocathodes of sediment/seawaterbased MSCs inoculated from the biocathode of a previously described sediment/seawater-based MSC. Electrochemical analyses indicate that for these second-generation MSC biocathodes, catalytic activity diminishes over time if illumination is provided during growth, whereas it remains relatively stable if growth occurs in the dark. For both illuminated and dark MSC biocathodes, cyclic voltammetry reveals a catalytic-current-potential dependency consistent with heterogeneous electron transfer mediated by an insoluble microbial redox cofactor, which was conserved following enrichment of the dark MSC biocathode using a three-electrode configuration. 16S rRNA gene profiling showed Gammaproteobacteria, most closely related to Marinobacter spp., predominated in the enriched biocathode. The enriched biocathode biofilm is easily cultured on graphite cathodes, forms a multimicrobe-thick biofilm (up to 8.2 m), and does not lose catalytic activity after exchanges of the reactor medium. Moreover, the consortium can be grown on cathodes with only inorganic carbon provided as the carbon source, which may be exploited for proposed bioelectrochemical systems for electrosynthesis of organic carbon from carbon dioxide. These results support a scheme where two distinct communities of organisms develop within MSC biocathodes: one that is photosynthetically active and one that catalyzes reduction of O 2 by the cathode, where the former partially inhibits the latter. The relationship between the two communities must be further explored to fully realize the potential for MSC applications.

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“…Carbon dioxide reduction in the cathodic chamber is a relatively new concept. Microalgae 3 and photosynthetic bacteria 6 have been used successfully as catalysts in the cathodic chamber. The former is used with methylene blue as a mediator, while the latter is grown as a biofilm and no electron mediator is used.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial fuel cell with a polypyrrole/poly(methylene blue) composite electrode

Godwin¹,

Evitts²,

Kennell³

2012

RIE

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Different configurations of anodic and cathodic half-cells were incorporated into a microbial fuel cell to determine the effectiveness of a composite electrode. This novel composite electrode consisted of poly(methylene blue) and polypyrrole electrodeposited onto a stainless steel electrode. The novel electrode/immobilized mediator was incorporated into a microbial cathodic half-cell that relied on the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris for photosynthesis, and was a net reducer of carbon dioxide. Similar microbial cathodic half-cells were also examined using electrodes fabricated from graphite and graphite deposited with methylene blue. Results from using these three different electrodes in the microbial cathodic half-cell were examined and compared with the results from others. The electrode using the novel immobilized mediator demonstrated the highest short circuit current density of 65 mA/m 2 when compared with other C. vulgaris systems. Different anodic half-cells were also incorporated into the microbial fuel cell and tested. Anodic half-cells tested included a microbial half-cell containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae and one containing no microbial material and based on purely chemical constituents.In the case of the microbial anodic half-cell, different electrodes, including the novel immobilized mediator/electrode, were tested. It was found that the anodic half-cell performed better with a soluble mediator than an immobilized mediator/electrode. In the case of a fuel cell where both the anodic and cathodic half-cells are microbial, our results demonstrate better performance than previous systems by using a soluble mediator in the anodic half-cell with an immobilized mediator in the cathodic half-cell.

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A completely anoxic microbial fuel cell using a photo-biocathode for cathodic carbon dioxide reduction

Cited by 157 publications

References 16 publications

New applications and performance of bioelectrochemical systems

New applications and performance of bioelectrochemical systems

Electrochemical Investigation of a Microbial Solar Cell Reveals a Nonphotosynthetic Biocathode Catalyst

Microbial fuel cell with a polypyrrole/poly(methylene blue) composite electrode

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