Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3791/50800
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Waste water derived electroactive microbial biofilms: growth, maintenance, and basic characterization
Author Gimkiewicz, C.; Harnisch, F. ORCID logo
Source Titel JoVe-Journal of Visualized Experiments
Year 2013
Department UMB
Volume 82
Page From e50800
Language englisch
Keywords Environmental Sciences; Issue 82; Electrochemistry; Microbial fuel cell; microbial bioelectrochemical system; cyclic voltammetry; electroactive bacteria; microbial bioelectrochemistry; bioelectrocatalysis
UFZ wide themes RU4;
Abstract The growth of anodic electroactive microbial biofilms from waste water inocula in a fed-batch reactor is demonstrated using a three-electrode setup controlled by a potentiostat. Thereby the use of potentiostats allows an exact adjustment of the electrode potential and ensures reproducible microbial culturing conditions. During growth the current production is monitored using chronoamperometry (CA). Based on
these data the maximum current density (jmax) and the coulombic efficiency (CE) are discussed as measures for characterization of the bioelectrocatalytic performance. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), a nondestructive, i.e. noninvasive, method, is used to study the extracellular electron transfer (EET) of electroactive bacteria. CV measurements are performed on anodic biofilm electrodes in the presence of the microbial substrate, i.e. turnover conditions, and in the absence of the substrate, i.e. nonturnover conditions, using different scan rates. Subsequently, data analysis is exemplified and fundamental thermodynamic parameters of the microbial EET are derived and explained: peak potential (Ep), peak current density (jp), formal potential (Ef) and peak separation (ΔEp). Additionally the limits of the method and the state-of the art data analysis are addressed. Thereby this video-article shall provide a guide for the basic experimental steps and the fundamental data analysis.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=14328
Gimkiewicz, C., Harnisch, F. (2013):
Waste water derived electroactive microbial biofilms: growth, maintenance, and basic characterization
J. Vis. Exp. 82 , e50800 10.3791/50800