Electricity generation from carbon monoxide in a single chamber microbial fuel cell.
Electricity production from carbon monoxide (CO) is demonstrated in a single chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) with a CoTMPP-based air cathode. The MFC was inoculated with anaerobic sludge and continuously sparged with CO as a sole carbon source. Volumetric power output was maximized at a CO flow rate of 4.8LLR(-1)d(-1) reaching 6.4mWLR(-1). Several soluble and gaseous degradation products including hydrogen, methane, and acetate were detected, resulting in a relatively low apparent Coulombic efficiency of 8.7%. Tests also demonstrated electricity production from hydrogen and acetate with the highest and fastest increase in voltage exhibited after acetate injection. It is hypothesized that electricity generation in a CO-fed MFC is accomplished by a consortium of carboxydotrophic and carbon monoxide - tolerant anodophilic microorganisms.
Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave, Montreal, QC, Canada H2P 2R2.
P
P
Mehta
Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave, Montreal, QC, Canada H2P 2R2; Department of Bioresource Engineering, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada H9X 3V9.
A
A
Hussain
Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave, Montreal, QC, Canada H2P 2R2. Electronic address: Boris.Tartakovsky@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.
B
B
Tartakovsky
Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, National Research Council of Canada, 4250 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1W5.
V
V
Neburchilov
Department of Bioresource Engineering, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada H9X 3V9.
V
V
Raghavan
Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, National Research Council of Canada, 4250 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1W5.
H
H
Wang
Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave, Montreal, QC, Canada H2P 2R2.
S R
SR
Guiot
Carbon monoxide; Carboxydotrophic microorganisms; MFC; Syngas