MESSAI.iO

AI summary

70% confidence

This study investigates the impact of different inoculum types on the microbial community and power performance of urine-fed microbial fuel cells, finding that MFCs inoculated with sludge outperform those inoculated with stored urine or effluent.

Generated by MESSAI extraction pipeline · review against source PDF

Generic MFCRepresentative model
Click to animate flow
loading 3D model…

Representative MFC — matched on the paper’s system type only, not its reactor or geometry.

Extraction

Reported parameters

4 extracted values

View extracted values

Open in lab for full controls, parameter editing, and template overlays.

Open in lab →

What they did

System
MFC

What worked

No outcome metrics extracted yet.

Abstract

Bacteria are the driving force of the microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology, which benefits from their natural ability to degrade organic matter and generate electricity. The development of an efficient anodic biofilm has a significant impact on the power performance of this technology so it is essential to understand the effects of the inoculum nature on the anodic bacterial diversity and establish its relationship with the power performance of the system. Thus, this work aims at analysing the impact of 3 different types of inoculum: (i) stored urine, (ii) sludge and (iii) effluent from a working MFC, on the microbial community of the anodic biofilm and therefore on the power performance of urine-fed ceramic MFCs. The results showed that MFCs inoculated with sludge outperformed the rest and reached a maximum power output of 40.38 mW·m−2anode (1.21 mW). The power performance of these systems increased over time whereas the power output by MFCs inoculated either with stored urine or effluent decreased after day 30. These results are directly related to the establishment and adaptation of the microbial community on the anode during the assay. Results showed the direct relationship between the bacterial community composition, originating from the different inocula, and power generation within the MFCs.

Key findings

  • MFCs inoculated with sludge reached a maximum power output of 40.38 mW·m−2anode
  • Power performance of MFCs inoculated with sludge increased over time
  • Power output of MFCs inoculated with stored urine or effluent decreased after day 30

Keywords

Microbial fuel cellMicrobial population biologyEffluentPulp and paper industryOrganic matterAnode

Identifiers

DOI
10.3390/microorganisms8121921
Journal
Microorganisms
Year
2020