title: Influence of headspace composition on product diversity by sulphate reducing bacteria biocathode.
abstract: Mixed culture of sulphate reducing bacteria named TERI-MS-003 was used for development of biocathode on activated carbon fabric fastened to stainless steel mesh for conversion of volatile fatty acids to reduced organic compounds under chronoamperometric conditions of -0.85V vs. Ag/AgCl (3.5M KCl). A range of chemicals were bioelectrosynthesized, however the gases present in headspace environment of the bioelectrochemical reactor governed the product profile. Succinate, ethanol, hydrogen, glycerol and propionate were observed to be the predominant products when the reactor was hermetically sealed. On the other hand, acetone, propionate, isopropanol, propanol, isobutyrate, isovalerate and heptanoate were the predominant products when the reactor was continuously sparged with nitrogen. This study highlights the importance of head space composition in order to manoeuvre the final product profile desired during a microbial electro-synthesis operation and the need for simultaneously developing effective separation and recovery strategies from an economical and practical standpoint.
authors.affiliation: TERI University, 10 Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, India; TERI, Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi 110003, India; Separations and Conversion Technologies, VITO-Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mohita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: TERI, Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi 110003, India.
authors.forename: Jhansi L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Varanasi
authors.affiliation: TERI University, 10 Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, India; TERI, Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi 110003, India.
authors.forename: Pratiksha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: TERI, Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi 110003, India.
authors.forename: Prem
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dureja
authors.affiliation: TERI, Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi 110003, India.
authors.forename: Banwari
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lal
authors.affiliation: Separations and Conversion Technologies, VITO-Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xochitl
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dominguez-Benetton
authors.affiliation: Separations and Conversion Technologies, VITO-Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pant
authors.affiliation: TERI University, 10 Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, India; TERI, Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi 110003, India. Electronic address: priyanms@teri.res.in.
authors.forename: Priyangshu M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sarma
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D004566:Electrodes; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013431:Sulfates; D006859:Hydrogen
keywords: Activated carbon fabric (ACF); Biocathode; Direct electron transfer (DET); Microbial electrosynthesis (MES); Sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB)