{"title":"Hydrocarbonoclastic Biofilm-Based Microbial Fuel Cells: Exploiting Biofilms at Water-Oil Interface for Renewable Energy and Wastewater Remediation.","authors":"Nicola Lovecchio, Roberto Giuseppetti, Lucia Bertuccini, Sandra Columba-Cabezas, Valentina Di Meo, Mario Figliomeni, Francesca Iosi, Giulia Petrucci, Michele Sonnessa, Fabio Magurano, Emilio D'Ugo","doi":"10.3390/bios14100484","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a promising technology for sustainable energy generation, which leverages the metabolic activities of microorganisms to convert organic substrates into electrical energy. In oil spill scenarios, hydrocarbonoclastic biofilms naturally form at the water-oil interface, creating a distinct environment for microbial activity. In this work, we engineered a novel MFC that harnesses these biofilms by strategically positioning the positive electrode at this critical junction, integrating the biofilm's natural properties into the MFC design. These biofilms, composed of specialized hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, are vital in supporting electron transfer, significantly enhancing the system's power generation. Next-generation sequencing and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the microbial community, revealing a significant enrichment of hydrocarbonoclastic <i>Gammaproteobacteria</i> within the biofilm. Notably, key genera such as <i>Paenalcaligenes</i>, <i>Providencia</i>, and <i>Pseudomonas</i> were identified as dominant members, each contributing to the degradation of complex hydrocarbons and supporting the electrogenic activity of the MFCs. An electrochemical analysis demonstrated that the MFC achieved a stable power output of 51.5 μW under static conditions, with an internal resistance of about 1.05 kΩ. The system showed remarkable long-term stability, which maintained consistent performance over a 5-day testing period, with an average daily energy storage of approximately 216 mJ. Additionally, the MFC effectively recovered after deep discharge cycles, sustaining power output for up to 7.5 h before requiring a recovery period. Overall, the study indicates that MFCs based on hydrocarbonoclastic biofilms provide a dual-functionality system, combining renewable energy generation with environmental remediation, particularly in wastewater treatment. Despite lower power output compared to other hydrocarbon-degrading MFCs, the results highlight the potential of this technology for autonomous sensor networks and other low-power applications, which required sustainable energy sources. Moreover, the hydrocarbonoclastic biofilm-based MFC presented here offer significant potential as a biosensor for real-time monitoring of hydrocarbons and other contaminants in water. The biofilm's electrogenic properties enable the detection of organic compound degradation, positioning this system as ideal for environmental biosensing applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":48608,"journal":{"name":"Biosensors-Basel","volume":"14 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11506689/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Biosensors-Basel","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14100484","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a promising technology for sustainable energy generation, which leverages the metabolic activities of microorganisms to convert organic substrates into electrical energy. In oil spill scenarios, hydrocarbonoclastic biofilms naturally form at the water-oil interface, creating a distinct environment for microbial activity. In this work, we engineered a novel MFC that harnesses these biofilms by strategically positioning the positive electrode at this critical junction, integrating the biofilm's natural properties into the MFC design. These biofilms, composed of specialized hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, are vital in supporting electron transfer, significantly enhancing the system's power generation. Next-generation sequencing and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the microbial community, revealing a significant enrichment of hydrocarbonoclastic Gammaproteobacteria within the biofilm. Notably, key genera such as Paenalcaligenes, Providencia, and Pseudomonas were identified as dominant members, each contributing to the degradation of complex hydrocarbons and supporting the electrogenic activity of the MFCs. An electrochemical analysis demonstrated that the MFC achieved a stable power output of 51.5 μW under static conditions, with an internal resistance of about 1.05 kΩ. The system showed remarkable long-term stability, which maintained consistent performance over a 5-day testing period, with an average daily energy storage of approximately 216 mJ. Additionally, the MFC effectively recovered after deep discharge cycles, sustaining power output for up to 7.5 h before requiring a recovery period. Overall, the study indicates that MFCs based on hydrocarbonoclastic biofilms provide a dual-functionality system, combining renewable energy generation with environmental remediation, particularly in wastewater treatment. Despite lower power output compared to other hydrocarbon-degrading MFCs, the results highlight the potential of this technology for autonomous sensor networks and other low-power applications, which required sustainable energy sources. Moreover, the hydrocarbonoclastic biofilm-based MFC presented here offer significant potential as a biosensor for real-time monitoring of hydrocarbons and other contaminants in water. The biofilm's electrogenic properties enable the detection of organic compound degradation, positioning this system as ideal for environmental biosensing applications.
Biosensors-BaselBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology-Clinical Biochemistry
CiteScore
6.60
自引率
14.80%
发文量
983
审稿时长
11 weeks
期刊介绍:
Biosensors (ISSN 2079-6374) provides an advanced forum for studies related to the science and technology of biosensors and biosensing. It publishes original research papers, comprehensive reviews and communications. Our aim is to encourage scientists to publish their experimental and theoretical results in as much detail as possible. There is no restriction on the length of the papers. The full experimental details must be provided so that the results can be reproduced. Electronic files and software regarding the full details of the calculation or experimental procedure, if unable to be published in a normal way, can be deposited as supplementary electronic material.