Abstract
Marine photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (mpMFCs) can utilize marine photosynthetic microorganisms to drive electrical energy-generating electrochemical reactions. Due to improved ionic mobility and superior electrical conductivity of seawater, it is a suitable electrolyte for operating bio-electrochemical devices at operating elevated salinities. This study examined the use of seawater as a conducting medium in two-chambered MFCs to enhance power production in conjunction with a marine photosynthetic biocathode as an alternative to the abiotic chemical cathode. Using a modified BG11 seawater medium as catholyte, marine cyanobacteria were grown and maintained in the MFC cathode compartment. After a significant quantity of biomass had formed, it was harvested for use as the substrate for anode microorganisms. Isolated marine cyanobacteria from photosynthetic biocathode were identified using 16 s rRNA and Sanger DNA sequencing. In electrochemical characterization, mMFC, maximum power density (Pmax) was 147.84 mWm−2 and maximum current density (Jmax) reached 1311.82 mAm−2. In mpMFC, Pmax was 104.48 mWm−2 and Jmax was 1107.27 mAm−2. Pmax was 53.14 mWm−2 and Jmax was 501.81 mAm−2 in comparable freshwater MFC employing platinum catalyst, which proves that mMFC and mpMFC worked better. Dapis pleousa and Synechococcus moorigangaii were identified as dominant marine cyanobacteria. It was demonstrated that mpMFC, operated using seawater and employing a cyanobacteria biocathode, is suitable for circularized renewable energy production. The outcomes of this study imply that mpMFCs are good candidates for circular renewable energy production.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
The authors declare that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its Supplementary Information files. Should any raw data files be needed in another format, they are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
References
Obileke KC, Onyeaka H, Meyer EL, Nwokolo N. (2021) Microbial fuel cells, a renewable energy technology for bio-electricity generation: a mini-review. Electrochem. commun. 125 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2021.107003
Gajda I, Greenman J, Santoro C, Serov A, Atanassov P, Melhuish C (2019) Multi-functional microbial fuel cells for power, treatment and electro-osmotic purification of urine. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 94(7):2098–2106. https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.5792
Gupta S, Patro A, Mittal Y, Dwivedi S, Saket P, Panja R (2023) The race between classical microbial fuel cells, sediment-microbial fuel cells, plant-microbial fuel cells, and constructed wetlands-microbial fuel cells: applications and technology readiness level. Sci Total Environ. 879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162757
Duu JL, Jo-Shu CJYL (2015) Microalgae–microbial fuel cell: a mini review. Bioresour Technol 198:891–895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2015.09.061
Zuo Y, Xing D, Regan JM, Logan BE (2008) Isolation of the exoelectrogenic bacterium Ochrobactrum anthropi YZ-1 by using a U-tube microbial fuel cell. Appl Environ Microbiol 74(10):3130–3137. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02732-07
Hyung JK, Hyung SP, Moon SH, In SC, Mia KBHK (2002) A mediator-less microbial fuel cell using a metal reducing bacterium. Shewanella putrefaciens Enzyme Microb Technol 30(2):145–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-0229(01)00478-1
Holmes DE, Bond DR, Lovley DR (2004) Electron transfer by Desulfobulbus propionicus to Fe ( III ) and graphite electrodes. Appl Environ Microbiol 70(2):1234–1237. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.70.2.1234-1237.2004
Bond DR, Lovley DR, Bond DR, Lovley DR (2005) Evidence for involvement of an electron shuttle in electricity generation by Geothrix fermentans evidence for involvement of an electron shuttle in electricity generation by Geothrix fermentans. Appl Environ Microbiol. 71(4). https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.71.4.2186-2189.2005
Defeng X, Yi Z, Shaoan C, Regan JM, BEL, (2008) Electricity generation by Rhodopseudomonas palustris DX-1. Environ Sci Technol 42(11):4146–4151. https://doi.org/10.1021/es800312v
Cao Y, Mu H, Liu W, Zhang R, Guo J, Xian M (2019) Electricigens in the anode of microbial fuel cells: pure cultures versus mixed communities. Microb Cell Fact 18(1):1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-019-1087-z
Cruz-noriega MDL, Benites SM, Rojas-flores S, Otiniano NM (2023) Use of wastewater and electrogenic bacteria to generate eco-friendly electricity through microbial fuel cells. Sustainability. 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310640
Milner EM, Popescu D, Curtis T, Head IM, Scott K, Yu EH (2016) Microbial fuel cells with highly active aerobic biocathodes. J Power Sources 324:8–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.05.055
Dina K, Kateryna SYK (2021) Microalgae and cyanobacteria as biological agents of biocathodes in biofuel cells. J Biotechnol Comput Biol Bionanotechnol. 102(4):437–44. https://doi.org/10.5114/2Fbta.2021.111108
Han B, Goh H, Chyuan H, Yee M, Chen W, Ling K (2019) Sustainability of direct biodiesel synthesis from microalgae biomass: a critical review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 107:59–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.02.012
Lee SY, Cho JM, Chang YK, Oh Y (2017) Cell disruption and lipid extraction for microalgal biorefineries: a review. Bioresour Technol 244:1317–1328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.06.038
Chew KW, Yap JY, Show PL, Suan NH, Juan JC, Ling TC (2017) Microalgae biorefinery: high value products perspectives. Bioresour Technol 229:53–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.01.006
Commault AS, Lear G, Novis P, Weld RJ (2014) Photosynthetic biocathode enhances the power output of a sediment-type microbial fuel cell. New Zeal J Bot 52(1):37–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2013.870217
JT Babauta, H Beyenal, 2015 Biofilms in bioelectrochemical systems: from laboratory practice to data interpretation 121 345-366 https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119097426.ch5
Nguyen HATT, Le GTH, Park SG, Jadhav DA, Le TTQ, Kim H, Vinayak V, Lee G, Yoo K, Song KJC (2024) Optimizing electrochemically active microorganisms as a key player in the bioelectrochemical system: identification methods and pathways to large-scale implementation. Sci Total Environ. 914. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169766
Khan MJ, Singh N, Mishra S, Ahirwar A, Bast F, Varjani S, Schoefs B, Marchand J, Rajendran K, Banu JR, Saratale GD, Saratale RGVV (2022) Impact of light on microalgal photosynthetic microbial fuel cells and removal of pollutants by nanoadsorbent biopolymers: updates, challenges and innovations. Chemosphere. 288(part 2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132589
Reimers CE, Wolf M, Yvan ACL (2022) Benthic microbial fuel cell systems for marine applications. J Power Sources. 522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.231033
Sonawane JM, Mahadevan R, Pandey A, Greener J (2022) Recent progress in microbial fuel cells using substrates from diverse sources. Heliyon 8:e12353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12353
Grattieri M, Suvira M, Hasan K, Minteer SD (2016) Halotolerant extremophile bacteria from the Great Salt Lake for recycling pollutants in microbial fuel cells. J Power Sources. 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.11.090
Wang R, Wu X, Liu C, Yang J, Luo X, Zou L (2022) Hierarchical porous carbon fibers for enhanced interfacial electron transfer of electroactive biofilm electrode. Catalysts. 12(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12101187
Santoro C, Arbizzani C, Erable B, Ieropoulos I (2017) Microbial fuel cells: from fundamentals to applications. A review J Power Sources 356:225–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.03.109
Nazeer Z, Fernando EYF (2022) A novel growth and isolation medium for exoelectrogenic bacteria. Enzyme Microb Technol. 155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enzmictec.2022.109995
Morin N, Vallaeys T, Hendrickx L, Natalie L, Wilmotte A (2010) An efficient DNA isolation protocol for filamentous cyanobacteria of the genus Arthrospira. J Microbiol Methods 80:148–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mimet.2009.11.012
Asahi Y, Miura J, Tsuda T, Kuwabata S, Tsunashima K, Noiri Y (2015) Simple observation of Streptococcus mutans biofilm by scanning electron microscopy using ionic liquids. AMB Express. 5(6):8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13568-015-0097-4
Kannan N, Donnellan P (2021) Algae-assisted microbial fuel cells: a practical overview. Bioresour Technol Reports 15:100747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2021.100747
Foster RA, Zehr JP (2019) Diversity, genomics, and distribution of phytoplankton-cyanobacterium single-cell symbiotic associations. Annu Rev Microbiol 73:435–456. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-micro-090817-062650
Zarkov A, Kareiva A, Tamasauskaite-Tamasiunaite L (2023) Advances in functional inorganic materials prepared by wet chemical methods. Crystals 13(2):324. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst13020324
Lashari NUR, Zhao M, Zheng Q, Gong H, Song X (2018) Good lithium-ion insertion/extraction characteristics of a novel double metal doped hexa-vanadate compounds used in an inorganic aqueous solution. Energ Fuel 32(9):10016–10023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.8b02041
Senthilkumar ST, Go W, Han J, Thuy LPT, Kishor K, Kim Y (2019) Emergence of rechargeable seawater batteries. J Mater Chem 7:22803–22825. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TA08321A
Amiri M, Bélanger D (2021) Physicochemical and electrochemical properties of water-in-salt electrolytes. Chemsuschem 14:2487–2500. https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202100550
Miyahara M, Kouzuma A, Watanabe K (2015) Effects of NaCl concentration on anode microbes in microbial fuel cells. AMB Express. 5(34). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13568-015-0123-6
Thomas D, Rasheed Z, Jagan JS (2015) Study of kinetic parameters and development of a voltammetric sensor for the determination of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA ) in oil samples. J Food Sci Technol 52:6719–6726. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-1796-1
Zavala MÁL, Peña OIG, Ruelas HC, Mena CD, Guizani M (2019) Use of cyclic voltammetry to describe the electrochemical behavior of a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell. Energies. 12(18). https://doi.org/10.3390/en12183532
Jiang Y, Zeng RJ (2019) Bidirectional extracellular electron transfers of electrode-biofilm: mechanism and application. Bioresour Technol 271:439–448. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.09.133
Kumar SS, Kumar V, Kumar R, Malyan SK, Pugazhendhi A (2019) Microbial fuel cells as a sustainable platform technology for bioenergy, biosensing, environmental monitoring, and other low power device applications. Fuel 255:115682. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.115682
Reimers CE, Wolf M, Alleau Y, Li C (2022) Benthic microbial fuel cell systems for marine applications. J Power Sources 522:231033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.231033
Jayathilake C, Dilangani GP, Bandara S, Nazeer Z, Thilini N, Bandara W, Fernando EY (2022) The use of Statin-class compounds to suppress methanogenesis in lake sediment inoculated microbial fuel cells. Bioresour Technol Rep 20:101272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2022.101272
Luimstra VM, Kennedy SJ, Güttler J, Wood SA, Williams DE, Packer MA (2014) A cost-effective microbial fuel cell to detect and select for photosynthetic electrogenic activity in algae and cyanobacteria. J Appl Phycol 26:15–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-013-0051-2
Ahirwar A, Das S, Das S, Yang YH, Bhatia SK, Vinayak V, Ghangrekar MM (2023) Photosynthetic microbial fuel cell for bioenergy and valuable production: a review of circular bio-economy approach. Algal Res 70:102973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2023.102973
Khan MJ, Das S, Vinayak V, Pant D, Ghangrekar MM (2022) Live diatoms as potential biocatalyst in a microbial fuel cell for harvesting continuous diafuel, carotenoids and bioelectricity. Chemosphere 291:132841. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132841
Acknowledgements
The financial support provided by the RUSL microbiology UG special grants scheme and World Bank AHEAD grant scheme is thankfully acknowledged. Instrument access provided for SEM and CV analysis by the Faculty of Technology, RUSL is thankfully acknowledged.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
CB, MS, AA, and NT conducted experiments. CB and EF wrote the original draft. SB and ZN provided instrument support and edited the manuscript. EF conceptualized the work, managed the overall project, and acquired funding.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing Interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Basnayaka, C., Somasiri, M., Ahsan, A. et al. Marine Photosynthetic Microbial Fuel Cell for Circular Renewable Power Production. Bioenerg. Res. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-024-10768-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-024-10768-x