Photomicrobial Solar and Fuel Cells

Rosenbaum, Miriam A.; Schröder, Uwe

doi:10.1002/elan.200800005

Cited by 67 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Introduction of photosynthetically derived oxygen to the cathode compartments of MFCs to regenerate the oxidant has previously been proposed using algal cultures (3,4,30). However, to our knowledge, only a few studies have reported on the electrochemical activity of a phototrophic biocathode (1,8,9) where photosynthetic reactions are confined to the electrode biofilm, and the CV was not reported in these studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although no exact matches to sequences identified from the illuminated MSC were observed in the dark MSC, Proteobacteria were prevalent on both biocathodes. Reports on spontaneously formed, nonphotosynthetic marine biocathodes (33,34) have identified a number of potential microbial catalysts as part of biofilm consortia (28,30,35). The major finding from these studies appears to be that biocathode biofilms enriched from the marine environment perform optimally as a consortium rather than in pure culture and that Proteobacteria are typically observed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

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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“…Collectively, MFCs and the newer biologically catalyzed electrochemical cells have come to be known as bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) (Rabaey et al 2007; Arechederra and Minteer 2008; Ivanov et al 2010; Manohar et al 2010; Rosenbaum and Schroder 2010). As BES research becomes more sophisticated, it appears that BESs can provide new insights into the fundamental mechanisms of electron transfer between microorganisms and solid substances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrochemically active biofilms: facts and fiction. A review

et al. 2012

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This review examines the electrochemical techniques used to study extracellular electron transfer in the electrochemically active biofilms that are used in microbial fuel cells and other bioelectrochemical systems. Electrochemically active biofilms are defined as biofilms that exchange electrons with conductive surfaces: electrodes. Following the electrochemical conventions, and recognizing that electrodes can be considered reactants in these bioelectrochemical processes, biofilms that deliver electrons to the biofilm electrode are called anodic, ie electrode-reducing, biofilms, while biofilms that accept electrons from the biofilm electrode are called cathodic, ie electrode-oxidizing, biofilms. How to grow these electrochemically active biofilms in bioelec-trochemical systems is discussed and also the critical choices made in the experimental setup that affect the experimental results. The reactor configurations used in bioelectrochemical systems research are also described and the authors demonstrate how to use selected voltammetric techniques to study extracellular electron transfer in bioelectrochemical systems. Finally, some critical concerns with the proposed electron transfer mechanisms in bioelectrochemical systems are addressed together with the prospects of bioelectrochemical systems as energy-converting and energy-harvesting devices.

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“…Rosenbaum and Schroder assert that algae-based microbial solar cells and photomicrobial fuel cells exploit the energy of light and the activity of phototrophic microorganisms to produce electricity [8]. 0306 …”

Section: The Importance Of the Algae And Energy Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%