title: Influence of setup and carbon source on the bacterial community of biocathodes in microbial electrolysis cells.
abstract: The microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) biocathode has shown great potential as alternative for expensive metals as catalyst for H2 synthesis. Here, the bacterial communities at the biocathode of five hydrogen producing MECs using molecular techniques were characterized. The setups differed in design (large versus small) including electrode material and flow path and in carbon source provided at the cathode (bicarbonate or acetate). A hydrogenase gene-based DNA microarray (Hydrogenase Chip) was used to analyze hydrogenase genes present in the three large setups. The small setups showed dominant groups of Firmicutes and two of the large setups showed dominant groups of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The third large setup received acetate but no sulfate (no sulfur source). In this setup an almost pure culture of a Promicromonospora sp. developed. Most of the hydrogenase genes detected were coding for bidirectional Hox-type hydrogenases, which have shown to be involved in cytoplasmatic H2 production.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands; Wetsus, Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elsemiek
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Croese
authors.affiliation: Wetsus, Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC Leeuwarden, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 6, P.O. Box 8038, 6700 EK Wageningen, The Netherlands; Sub-Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Bomenweg 2, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Adriaan W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Jeremiasse
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, 318 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Ian P G
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, 318 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Alfred M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Spormann
authors.affiliation: Wetsus, Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, 8900 CC Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gert-Jan W
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Euverink
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeanine S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Geelhoed
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alfons J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stams
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Caroline.plugge@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Caroline M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Plugge
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044822:Biodiversity; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D002244:Carbon; D004566:Electrodes; D004572:Electrolysis; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006864:Hydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002244:Carbon; D006859:Hydrogen; D006864:Hydrogenase
keywords: Acetate; Bicarbonate; Bioelectrochemical system (BES); Hydrogen; Hydrogenase Chip; Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)