Electricity generation and microbial community structure of air-cathode microbial fuel cells powered with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and inoculated with different seeds

• Published in: Biomass & bioenergy Vol. 67; pp. 24 - 31
• Main Authors: EL-CHAKHTOURA, Joline, EL-FADEL, Mutasem, HARI ANANDA RAO, DONG LI, GHANIMEH, Sophia, SAIKALY, Pascal E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier 01.08.2014
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Firmicutes; Fuel cells; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Organic matter; Urban waste; Biomass; Waste water; Inoculation; Air electrode; Microbial electrode; Biochemical fuel cell; Chemical oxygen demand; Ribosomal RNA; Volatile fatty acid; 16S-RNA; Bioenergy; Agricultural waste; Sequencing; Microbial community; Community structure; Cathode; Biomass energy; Organic fraction of municipal solid waste; Farmyard manure; 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing; Solid waste; Microbial fuel cell; Electric power production; Animal waste; Inoculum
• ISSN: 0961-9534; 1873-2909
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.04.020

The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), normally exceeding 60% of the waste stream in developing countries, could constitute a valuable source of feed for microbial fuel cells (MFCs). This study tested the start-up of two sets of OFMSW-fed air-cathode MFCs inoculated with wastewater sludge or cattle manure. The maximum power density obtained was 123 plus or minus 41 mW m super(-2) in the manure-seeded MFCs and 116 plus or minus 29 mW m super(-2) in the wastewater-seeded MFCs. Coulombic efficiencies ranged between 24 plus or minus 5% (manure-seeded MFCs) and 23 plus or minus 2% (wastewater-seeded MFCs). Chemical oxygen demand removal was >86% in all the MFCs and carbohydrate removal >98%. Microbial community analysis using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing demonstrated the dominance of the phylum Firmicutes (67%) on the anode suggesting the possible role of members of this phylum in electricity generation. Principal coordinate analysis showed that the microbial community structure in replicate MFCs converged regardless of the inoculum source. This study demonstrates efficient electricity production coupled with organic treatment in OFMSW-fueled MFCs inoculated with manure or wastewater.