Exploring power generation of single-chamber microbial fuel cell using mixed and pure cultures

This study tended to explore factors (e.g., initial substrate concentration, microbial species) affecting electricity generation of air-cathode single-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) under fed-batch mode of operation. The maximum coulombic efficiency (CE) and power density taking place at initial concentration of 300 mg COD/L were 8.16% and 68.5 mW/m(2), respectively. Rich media would stably provide power output in MFC for long periods of time. As part of COD removal was used for aerobic degradation rather than bioelectricity generation, lower CE values (max. 8.16%) in MFCs were revealed. According to profiles of protein expression and PCR-augmented 16S rRNA analyses for strain identification, >99.5% of nucleotide sequence of predominant pure strains in MFC was identical to type strain Aeromonas punctata. (C) 2009 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.