Low-Voltage Producing Microbial Fuel Cell Constructs Using Biofilm-Forming Marine Bacteria

Abstract

Biofilm-forming marine bacterial isolates Paenibacillus lautus NE3B01, Pseudomonas mendocina NR802, Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila NCW702 and Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes NP103 in microbial fuel cell (MFC) were investigated for low-voltage power generation. Biofilm formation by the isolates was evaluated by glass tube assay, microtitre plate assay and fluorescence microscopy. A dual chamber MFC of 2 litre capacity was constructed for low-voltage power generation and current output. Two chambers were internally connected by salt bridge and externally the circuit was connected with copper wires which were joined to the electrodes at the two ends and to the multimeter. Maximum current was generated when the salt bridge was constructed using 1 M KCl for all the four bacterial isolates. With Paenibacillus lautus NE3B01, a maximum voltage of 727.5 ± 13.4 mV in 6 h with 7 g/l of glucose as the sole source of carbon was recorded. However, Pseudomonas mendocina NR802 MFC was the most stable in terms of potential generation among all the isolates used for MFC studies. The experimental data for current and voltage showed that the biofilm-forming marine bacterial isolates are useful in MFC technology.