Abstract
Polarization curves are of paramount importance for the detection of toxic components in microbial fuel cell (MFC) based biosensors. In this study, polarization curves were made under non-toxic conditions and under toxic conditions after the addition of various concentrations of nickel, bentazon, sodiumdodecyl sulfate and potassium ferricyanide. The experimental polarization curves show that toxic components have an effect on the electrochemically active bacteria in the cell. (Extended) Butler Volmer Monod (BVM) models were used to describe the polarization curves of the MFC under nontoxic and toxic conditions. It was possible to properly fit the (extended) BVM models using linear regression techniques to the polarization curves and to distinguish between different types of kinetic inhibitions. For each of the toxic components, the value of the kinetic inhibition constant Ki was also estimated from the experimental data. The value of Ki indicates the sensitivity of the sensor for a specific component and thus can be used for the selection of the biosensor for a toxic component.
Highlights
Active microorganisms in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) oxidize organic material to carbon dioxide, protons and electrons
Polarization curves were made under clean conditions and under conditions when a toxic component was present in the sensor
Through these experiments we investigated in a systematic way what the effect of toxic components, such as nickel chloride, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), bentazon and potassium ferricyanide, is on the current at different overpotentials
Summary
Active microorganisms in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) oxidize organic material to carbon dioxide, protons and electrons. An electron acceptor at the second electrode, the cathode, is reduced so that the electrons flow through the electrical circuit and produce an electrical current. The rate of degradation of organic material is proportional to the current. The current is a measure for the metabolic activity of the bacteria in the microbial fuel cell. The MFC has many applications such as a renewable source for energy production, bio-electrochemical production of chemicals or as a BOD sensor in water [1,2,3,4]. This paper, focuses on the use of an MFC as sensor for toxic chemicals in water
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