Effect of electron mediators on current generation and fermentation in a microbial fuel cell

Abstract

Effects of select electron mediators [9,10-anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonic acid disodium salt (AQDS), safranine O, resazurin, methylene blue, and humic acids] on metabolic end-products and current production from cellulose digestion by Clostridium cellulolyticum in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were studied using capillary electrophoresis and traditional electrochemical techniques. Addition of the mediator resazurin greatly enhanced current production but did not appear to alter the examined fermentation end-products compared to MFCs with no mediator. Assays for lactate, acetate, and ethanol indicate that the presence of safranine O, methylene blue, and humic acids alters metabolite production in the MFC: safranine O decreased the examined metabolites, methylene blue increased lactate formation, and humic acids increased the examined metabolites. Mediator standard redox potentials (E (0)) reported in the literature do not coincide with redox potentials in MFCs due presumably to the electrolytic complexity of media that supports bacterial survival and growth. Current production in MFCs: (1) can be effected by the mediator redox potential while in the media, which may be significantly shifted from E (0), and (2) depended on the ability of the mediator to access the bacterial electron source, which may be cytoplasmic. In addition, some electron mediators had significant effects on metabolic end-products and therefore the metabolism of the organism itself.