• 대한환경공학회지
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• 제35권12호
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• pp.973-977
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• 2013

이 연구는 전기화학적 활성을 갖는 미생물들을 알아내기 위하여 농화배양 단계에서 시간에 따라 미생물연료전지의 미생물 군집 변화를 알아본 것이다. 접종원으로 하수처리장 혐기 소화액와 가축분뇨를 1 : 1로 혼합한 액을 사용하였다. 농화배양 과정에서 미생물 생장곡선에 따라 지체기, 대수성장기 그리고 정지기로 전류발생 패턴을 보면서 구분하였다. 전류가 안정적으로 발생되는 시점을 농화배양이 끝난 시점으로 판단하였으며, 이때 전류는 $0.84{\pm}0.06mA$가 발생되었다. 농화배양이 되어 가는 과정에서 미생물군집 변화를 전기영동(DGGE)에서 확인하여 시간에 따라 새롭게 나타나는 band나 농도가 높아지는 band 17개를 잘라내어 염기서열을 분석하였다. 이 결과 지체기와 대수성장 단계에서는 Clostridium, Rhodocyclaceae, Bacteriodete 그리고 Uncultured bacterium 등이 검출되었고, 정지기에서는 Geobacter sp., Rhodocyclaceae, Candidatus, Nitrospira, Flavobactriaceae, 그리고 Uncultured bacterium 등이 검출되었다. Geobactor의 경우는 이미 전기활성 미생물로 알려져 있는 미생물 종으로 이를 포함하여 이 연구에서 검출된 다른 미생물들 중에도 전기활성이 있는 미생물을 포함하고 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.297-301
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• 2021

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) convert chemical energy to electrical energy via electrochemically active microorganisms. The interactions between microbes and the surface of a carbon electrode play a vital role in capturing the respiratory electrons from bacteria. Therefore, improvements in the electrochemical and physicochemical properties of carbon materials are essential for increasing performance. In this study, a microwave and sulfuric acid treatment was used to modify the surface structure of graphite granules. The prepared expandable graphite granules (EGG) exhibited a 1.5 times higher power density than the unmodified graphite granules (1400 vs. 900 mW/m³). Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed improved physical and chemical characteristics of the EGG surface. These results suggest that physical and chemical surface modification using sulfuric acid and microwave heating improves the performance of electrode-based bioprocesses, such as MFCs.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.71-78
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• 2010

To understand the effects of acclimation schemes on the formation of anode biofilms, different electrical performances are characterized in this study, with the roles of suspended and attached bacteria in single-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The results show that the generation of current in single-chamber MFCs is significantly affected by the development of a biofilm matrix on the anode surface containing abundant immobilized microorganisms. The long-term operation with suspended microorganisms was demonstrated to form a dense biofilm matrix that was able to reduce the activation loss in MFCs. Also, a Pt-coated anode was not favorable for the initial or long-term bacterial attachment due to its high hydrophobicity (contact angle = $124^{\circ}$), which promotes easy detachment of the biofilm from the anode surface. Maximum power ($655.0\;mW/m^2$) was obtained at a current density of $3,358.8\;mA/m^2$ in the MFCs with longer acclimation periods. It was found that a dense biofilm was able to enhance the charge transfer rates due to the complex development of a biofilm matrix anchoring the electrochemically active microorganisms together on the anode surface. Among the major components of the extracellular polymeric substance, carbohydrates ($85.7\;mg/m^2_{anode}$) and proteins ($81.0\;mg/m^2_{anode}$) in the dense anode biofilm accounted for 17 and 19%, respectively, which are greater than those in the sparse anode biofilm.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권7호
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• pp.1104-1116
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the potential of using sediment bioelectrochemical systems (SBESs) for in situ treatment of the water and sediment in brackish aquaculture ponds polluted with uneaten feed. An SBES integrated into a laboratory-scale tank simulating a brackish aquaculture pond was established. This test tank and the control (not containing the SBES) were fed with shrimp feed in a scheme that mimics a situation where 50% of feed is uneaten. After the SBES was inoculated with microbial sources from actual shrimp pond sediments, electricity generation was well observed from the first experimental week, indicating successful enrichment of electrochemically active bacteria in the test tank sediment. The electricity generation became steady after 3 weeks of operation, with an average current density of $2.3mA/m^2$ anode surface and an average power density of $0.05mW/m^2$ anode surface. The SBES removed 20-30% more COD of the tank water, compared to the control. After 1 year, the SBES also reduced the amount of sediment in the tank by 40% and thus could remove approximately 40% more COD and approximately 52% more nitrogen from the sediment, compared to the control. Insignificant amounts of nitrite and nitrate were detected, suggesting complete removal of nitrogen by the system. PCR-DGGE-based analyses revealed the dominant presence of Methylophilus rhizosphaerae, Desulfatitalea tepidiphila and Thiothrix eikelboomii, which have not been found in bioelectrochemical systems before, in the bacterial community in the sediment of the SBES-containing tank. The results of this research demonstrate the potential application of SBESs in helping to reduce water pollution threats, fish and shrimp disease risks, and thus farmers' losses.