Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electricity generation by Propionibacterium freudenreichii in a mediatorless microbial fuel cell

  • Original Research Paper
  • Published:
Biotechnology Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To test Propionibacterium freudenreichii as a novel biocatalyst in a glycerol-oxidizing microbial fuel cell (MFC).

Results

Two strains, P. freudenreichii ssp. shermanii and P. freudenreichii ssp. freudenreichii, were screened as anodic biocatalysts and shown to produce power from glycerol in an MFC. Voltage was generated with and without resazurin in the medium, showing that both strains are exoelectrogenic. Polarization data showed that an MFC with P. freudenreichii ssp. shermanii reached a maximum open circuit voltage of 485 mV and a maximum power density of 14.9 mW m−2. Glycerol consumption was about 50 % lower in MFCs than in fermentations, indicating a metabolic shift in the MFC environment.

Conclusion

P. freudenreichii ssp. shermanii and P. freudenreichii ssp. freudenreichii were shown for the first time to act as exoelectrogenic anodic biocatalysts in MFCs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Clauwaert P, van der Ha D, Verstraete W (2008) Energy recovery from energy rich vegetable products with microbial fuel cells. Biotechnol Lett 30:1947–1951

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Emde R, Schink B (1990a) Enhanced propionate formation by Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. freudenreichii in a three-electrode amperometric culture system. Appl Environ Microbiol 56:2771–2776

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Emde R, Schink B (1990b) Oxidation of glycerol, lactate, and propionate by Propionibacterium freudenreichii in a poised-potential amperometric culture system. Arch Microbiol 153:506–512

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feng Y, Yang Q, Wang X, Liu Y, Lee H, Ren N (2011) Treatment of biodiesel production wastes with simultaneous electricity generation using a single-chamber microbial fuel cell. Biores Technol 102:411–415

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freguia S, Masuda M, Tsujimura S, Kano K (2009) Lactococcus lactis catalyses electricity generation at microbial fuel cell anodes via excretion of a soluble quinone. Bioelectrochem 76:14–18

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Futamata H, Bretschger O, Cheung A, Kan J, Owen R, Nealson KH (2013) Adaptation of soil microbes during establishment of microbial fuel cell consortium fed with lactate. J Biosci Bioeng 115:58–63

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guimarães AQ, Linares JJ (2014) Glycerol utilization in microbial fuel cells: conditioning stage and influence of the glycerol concentration. J Electrochem Soc 161:F125–F132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim GT, Webster G, Wimpenny JWT, Kim BH, Kim HJ, Weightman AJ (2006) Bacterial community structure, compartmentalization and activity in a microbial fuel cell. J Appl Microbiol 101:698–710

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Logan BE (2008) Microbial fuel cells. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  • Mori H, Sato Y, Taketomo N, Kamiyama T, Yoshiyama Y, Meguro S, Sato H, Kaneko T (1997) Isolation and structural identification of bifidogenic growth stimulator produced by Propionibacterium freudenreichii. J Dairy Sci 80:1959–1964

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nimje VR, Chen C-Y, Chen C-C, Chen H-R, Tseng M-J, Jean J-S, Chang Y-F (2011) Glycerol degradation in single-chamber microbial fuel cells. Biores Technol 102:2629–2634

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rabaey K, Boon N, Höfte M, Verstraete W (2005) Microbial phenazine production enhances electron transfer in biofuel cells. Environ Sci Technol 39:3401–3408

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reiche A, Kirkwood KM (2012) Comparison of Escherichia coli and anaerobic consortia derived from compost as anodic biocatalysts in a glycerol-oxidizing microbial fuel cell. Biores Technol 123:318–323

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schröder U (2007) Anodic electron transfer mechanisms in microbial fuel cells and their energy efficiency. Phys Chem Chem Phys 9:2619–2629

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma Y, Parnas R, Li B (2011) Bioenergy production from glycerol in hydrogen producing bioreactors (HPBs) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Int J Hydrog Energy 36:3853–3861

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang YF, Masuda M, Tsujimura S, Kano K (2008) Electrochemical regulation of the end-product profile in Propionibacterium freudenreichii ET-3 with an endogenous mediator. Biotechnol Bioeng 101:579–586

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xia X, Cao X, Liang P, Huang X, Yang SP, Zhao GG (2010) Electricity generation from glucose by a Klebsiella sp. in microbial fuel cells. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 87:383–390

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang T, Cui C, Chen S, Ai X, Yang H, Shen P, Peng Z (2006) A novel mediatorless microbial fuel cell based on direct biocatalysis of Escherichia coli. Chem Comm 21:2257–2259

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang G, Zhao Q, Jiao Y, Wang K, Lee DJ, Ren N (2012) Efficient electricity generation from sewage sludge using biocathode microbial fuel cell. Water Res 46:43–52

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Dr. Wendy Pell (Centre for Catalysis Research and Innovation), Bassam Javed and Ahmed Sow provided experimental assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Centre for Catalysis Research and Innovation, University of Ottawa, 161 Louis Pasteur Private, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Alison Reiche, Jamie-lynn Sivell & Kathlyn M. Kirkwood

Authors
  1. Alison Reiche
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jamie-lynn Sivell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kathlyn M. Kirkwood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kathlyn M. Kirkwood.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Reiche, A., Sivell, Jl. & Kirkwood, K.M. Electricity generation by Propionibacterium freudenreichii in a mediatorless microbial fuel cell. Biotechnol Lett 38, 51–55 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-015-1944-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-015-1944-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation