The startup of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is known to be prone to failure or result in erratic performance impeding the research. The aim of this study was to advise a quick launch strategy for laboratory-scale MFCs that ensures steady operation performance in a short period of time. Different startup strategies were investigated and compared with membraneless single chamber MFCs. A direct surface-to-surface biofilm transfer (BFT) in an operating MFC proved to be the most efficient method. It provided steady power densities of 163 ± 13 mWm−2 4 days after inoculation compared to 58 ± 15 mWm−2 after 30 days following a conventional inoculation approach. The in situ BFT eliminates the need for microbial acclimation during startup and reduces performance fluctuations caused by shifts in microbial biodiversity. Anaerobic pretreatment of the substrate and addition of suspended enzymes from an operating MFC into the new MFC proved to have a beneficial effect on startup and subsequent operation. Polarization methods were applied to characterize the startup phase and the steady state operation in terms of power densities, internal resistance and power overshoot during biofilm maturation. Applying this method a well-working MFC can be multiplied into an array of identically performing MFCs.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
January 06 2016
Surface-to-surface biofilm transfer: a quick and reliable startup strategy for mixed culture microbial fuel cells Available to Purchase
Andreas Vogl;
1Department of Mechanical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of East Bavaria Amberg-Weiden, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring 23, 92224 Amberg, Germany
2Institute of Urban Water Management and Environmental Engineering, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
Franz Bischof;
Franz Bischof
1Department of Mechanical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of East Bavaria Amberg-Weiden, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring 23, 92224 Amberg, Germany
Search for other works by this author on:
Marc Wichern
Marc Wichern
2Institute of Urban Water Management and Environmental Engineering, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
Search for other works by this author on:
Water Sci Technol (2016) 73 (8): 1769–1776.
Article history
Received:
June 01 2015
Accepted:
December 22 2015
Citation
Andreas Vogl, Franz Bischof, Marc Wichern; Surface-to-surface biofilm transfer: a quick and reliable startup strategy for mixed culture microbial fuel cells. Water Sci Technol 27 April 2016; 73 (8): 1769–1776. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2016.003
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Client Account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
eBook
Pay-Per-View Access
$38.00