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Effect of bacterial cell size on electricity generation in a single-compartmented microbial fuel cell

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Abstract

A single-compartmented microbial fuel cell composed of a graphite felt anode modified with Neutral Red (NR-anode) and a porous Fe(II)-carbon cathode (FeC-cathode) were compared for electricity generation from Microbacterium sp. and Pseudomonas sp. under identical conditions. Pseudomonas sp. was more than four times the size of Microbacterium sp. based on SEM images. In cyclic voltammetry, the redox reaction between Microbacterium sp and electrode was three times the rate observed between Pseudomonas sp. and the electrode based on the Y-axis (current) variation of cyclic voltammogram. The electric power generated by Microbacterium sp. was approx 3–4 times higher than that with Pseudomonas sp. during incubation for more than 150 days in the fuel cell.

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Acknowledgement

The EM-SEM images were prepared at the Daegu center of the Korea Basic Science Institute. We would like to thank the specialist for the skillfully produced SEM images.

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Correspondence to Doo Hyun Park.

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Lee, S.W., Jeon, B.Y. & Park, D.H. Effect of bacterial cell size on electricity generation in a single-compartmented microbial fuel cell. Biotechnol Lett 32, 483–487 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-0184-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-0184-1

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