title: Acclimatization of microbial consortia to alkaline conditions and enhanced electricity generation.
abstract: Air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs), obtained by inoculating with an aerobic activated sludge, were activated over a one month period, at pH 10.0, to obtain alkaline MFCs. The alkaline MFCs produced stable power of 118mWm(-2) and a maximum power density of 213mWm(-2) at pH 10.0, using glucose as substrate. The performance of the MFCs was enhanced to produce a stable power of 140mWm(-2) and a maximum power density of 235mWm(-2) by increasing pH to 11.0. This is the highest pH for stably operating MFCs reported in the literature. Power production was found to be suppressed at higher pH (12.0) and lower pH (9.0). Microbial analysis indicated that Firmicutes phylum was largely enriched in the anodic biofilms (88%), within which Eremococcus genus was the dominant group (47%). It is the first time that Eremococcus genus was described in bio-electrochemical systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou City 225002, China. Electronic address: 1773308229@qq.com.
authors.forename: Enren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou City 225002, China.
authors.forename: Wenjing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou City 225002, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, Newcastle University, Newcastle NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou City 225002, China.
authors.forename: Guowang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diao
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D018441:Biofilms; D059013:Microbial Consortia; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage
keywords: Alkaline conditions; Alkaliphilic genera; Anodic biofilms; Microbial fuel cells