Publication
Title
Electricity-assisted biological hydrogen production from acetate by geobacter sulfurreducens
Author
Abstract
Geobacter sulfurreducens is a well-known current-producing microorganism in microbial fuel cells, and is able to use acetate and hydrogen as electron donor. We studied the functionality of G. sulfurreducens as biocatalyst for hydrogen formation at the cathode of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). Geobacter sulfurreducens was grown in the bioelectrode compartment of a MFC with acetate as the substrate and reduction of complexed Fe(III) at the counter electrode. After depletion of the acetate the electrode potential of the bioelectrode was decreased stepwise to -1.0 V vs Ag/AgCl reference. Production of negative current was observed, which increased in time, indicating that the bioelectrode was now acting as biocathode. Headspace analyses carried out at electrode potentials ranging from -0.8 to -1.0 V showed that hydrogen was produced, with higher rates at more negative cathode potentials. Subsequently, the metabolic properties of G. sulfurreducens for acetate oxidation at the anode and hydrogen production at the cathode were combined in one-compartment membraneless MECs operated at applied voltages of 0.8 and 0.65 V. After two days, current densities were 0.44 A m(-2) at 0.8 V applied voltage and 0.22 A m(-2) at 0.65 V, using flat-surface carbon electrodes for both anode and cathode. The cathodic hydrogen recovery ranged from 23% at 0.5 V applied voltage to 43% at 0.9 V.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Environmental science and technology / American Chemical Society. - Easton, Pa
Publication
Easton, Pa : 2011
ISSN
0013-936X [print]
1520-5851 [online]
DOI
10.1021/ES102842P
Volume/pages
45 :2 (2011) , p. 815-820
ISI
000286090500073
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 08.10.2018
Last edited 22.11.2024
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