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Quorum sensing alters the microbial community of electrode-respiring bacteria and hydrogen scavengers toward improving hydrogen yield in microbial electrolysis cells

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  • Cai, Weiwei
  • Zhang, Zhaojing
  • Ren, Ge
  • Shen, Qiuxuan
  • Hou, Yanan
  • Ma, Anzhou
  • Deng, Ye
  • Wang, Aijie
  • Liu, Wenzong

Abstract

Quorum sensing has been widely applied to enhance the energy recovery of bioelectrochemical system as a sustainable pathway to enhance communication between cells and electrodes. However, how signalling molecules (acyl-homoserine lactones, AHLs) regulate the microbial community to improve hydrogen generation in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) is not well understood, especially the subsequent influence on interspecies relationships among not only electrode-respiring bacteria but also hydrogen scavengers. Understanding AHL regulation in a complicated and actual biofilm system will be valuable for future applications of microbial electrochemical technology. Herein, we added short-chain AHLs (3OC6) to regulate the biofilm community on bio-electrodes in MECs. As a result, hydrogen yields were enhanced with AHL addition, increasing by 5.57%, 38.68%, and 81.82% with varied external voltages (0.8V, 0.6V, and 0.4V, respectively). Accordingly, overall reactor performance was enhanced, including coulombic efficiency, electron recovery efficiency, and energy efficiency. Based on an electrochemical impedance spectra analysis, the structured biofilm under simple nutrient conditions (acetate) showed a lower internal resistance with AHL addition, indicating that the microbial communities were altered to enhance electron transfer between the biofilm and electrode. The change in the cathodic microbial structure with more electrochemically active bacteria and fewer hydrogen scavengers could contribute to a higher electron recovery and hydrogen yield with AHL addition. The regulation of the microbial community structure by AHLs represents a potential strategy to enhance electron transfer and hydrogen generation in bioelectrochemical systems.

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  • Cai, Weiwei & Zhang, Zhaojing & Ren, Ge & Shen, Qiuxuan & Hou, Yanan & Ma, Anzhou & Deng, Ye & Wang, Aijie & Liu, Wenzong, 2016. "Quorum sensing alters the microbial community of electrode-respiring bacteria and hydrogen scavengers toward improving hydrogen yield in microbial electrolysis cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1133-1141.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:183:y:2016:i:c:p:1133-1141
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.09.074
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    1. Liu, Wenzong & Cai, Weiwei & Guo, Zechong & Wang, Ling & Yang, Chunxue & Varrone, Cristiano & Wang, Aijie, 2016. "Microbial electrolysis contribution to anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge, leading to accelerated methane production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 334-339.
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    2. Shen, Ruixia & Jiang, Yong & Ge, Zheng & Lu, Jianwen & Zhang, Yuanhui & Liu, Zhidan & Ren, Zhiyong Jason, 2018. "Microbial electrolysis treatment of post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater with hydrogen generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 509-515.
    3. Khan, M.Z. & Nizami, A.S. & Rehan, M. & Ouda, O.K.M. & Sultana, S. & Ismail, I.M. & Shahzad, K., 2017. "Microbial electrolysis cells for hydrogen production and urban wastewater treatment: A case study of Saudi Arabia," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 410-420.
    4. Christwardana, Marcelinus & Frattini, Domenico & Duarte, Kimberley D.Z. & Accardo, Grazia & Kwon, Yongchai, 2019. "Carbon felt molecular modification and biofilm augmentation via quorum sensing approach in yeast-based microbial fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 239-248.
    5. Cai, Weiwei & Liu, Wenzong & Sun, Haishu & Li, Jiaqi & Yang, Liming & Liu, Meijun & Zhao, Shenlong & Wang, Aijie, 2018. "Ni5P4-NiP2 nanosheet matrix enhances electron-transfer kinetics for hydrogen recovery in microbial electrolysis cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 56-64.
    6. Yadav, Ashish & Verma, Nishith, 2019. "Efficient hydrogen production using Ni-graphene oxide-dispersed laser-engraved 3D carbon micropillars as electrodes for microbial electrolytic cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 628-638.

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