AI summary

70% confidence

Statin-class compounds Simvastatin and Atorvastatin suppressed methanogenesis in MFCs, increasing power densities 2-2.5 fold and almost completely eliminating CH4 production.

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

2 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

Abstract Methanogenesis conducted by archaea acts as a competing metabolic pathway that diverts available carbon and electrons away from exo-electrogenic metabolism in mixed culture inoculated microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Statin-class compounds are known to selectively inhibit eukaryotic and archaeal versions of HMG Co-A reductase (class-I) enzyme and the bacterial version of the same enzyme (class-II) is known to be unresponsive to statins. The results of this study demonstrated that the two model statin compounds Simvastatin and Atorvastatin were effective in suppressing methanogenesis in MFCs when applied in moderate concentrations (5 mg/L and 40 mg/L respectively) in MFC anodes. Power densities increased 2 fold compared to control (to 63 ± 1.8 mW/m 2 ) and 2.5 fold (to 69.5 ± 1.8 mW/m 2 ) with Simvastatin and Atorvastatin addition respectively. There was an almost complete suppression of CH 4 production with the addition of both statins into MFC anodes as shown by gas composition analysis. Quantitative FISH (qFISH) analysis showed that methanogens Methanosarcina, Metanobacteria and Methanomicrobiales together with all archaea were almost completely suppressed when statins were supplemented into MFC anodes. This study demonstrated that the statins addition can be used to boost power densities in MFCs.

Key findings

  • Simvastatin and Atorvastatin were effective in suppressing methanogenesis in MFCs at moderate concentrations.
  • Power densities increased 2 fold and 2.5 fold with Simvastatin and Atorvastatin addition respectively.
  • Almost complete suppression of CH4 production was observed with the addition of both statins into MFC anodes.

Keywords

MethanogenesisMicrobial fuel cellAtorvastatinMethanomicrobialesSimvastatinArchaea

Identifiers

Journal
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Year
2022