Microbe-Assisted Sulfide Oxidation in the Anode of a Microbial Fuel Cell
Sulfide oxidation is coupled with electricity generation in a sulfide-fed microbial fuel cell (MFC). This study demonstrated that both electrochemical reactions and microbial catalysis were involved in such a complex sulfide oxidation process in the anode of an MFC. The microbe-assisted sulfide oxid...
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Published in | Environmental science & technology Vol. 43; no. 9; pp. 3372 - 3377 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Washington, DC
American Chemical Society
01.05.2009
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Sulfide oxidation is coupled with electricity generation in a sulfide-fed microbial fuel cell (MFC). This study demonstrated that both electrochemical reactions and microbial catalysis were involved in such a complex sulfide oxidation process in the anode of an MFC. The microbe-assisted sulfide oxidation generated a higher persistent current density than the sulfide oxidation via single electrochemical reactions only. Three valence states of S (−II), S (0), and S (+VI) were discovered from the sulfide oxidation, and S0, S x 2−, S4O6 2−, S2O3 2−, and SO4 2− were detected as the intermediates. Based on the sulfur speciation and microbial community analysis, the sulfide oxidation pathways in the MFC were proposed. The oxidation of sulfide to S0/S x 2− and further to S4O6 2−/S2O3 2− occurred spontaneously as electrochemical reactions, and electricity was generated. The formation of S0/S x 2− and S2O3 2− was accelerated by the bacteria in the MFC anode, and SO4 2− was generated because of a microbial catalysis. The microbe-assisted production of S2O3 2− and SO4 2− resulted in a persistent current from the MFC. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-2 ObjectType-Feature-1 |
ISSN: | 0013-936X 1520-5851 |
DOI: | 10.1021/es802809m |