Fernando E, Keshavarz T, Kyazze G. Simultaneous co-metabolic decolourisation of azo dye mixtures and bio-electricity generation under thermophillic (50 °C) and saline conditions by an adapted anaerobic mixed culture in microbial fuel cells.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2013;
127:1-8. [PMID:
23131618 DOI:
10.1016/j.biortech.2012.09.065]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2012] [Revised: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/18/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In this study, azo dye adapted mixed microbial consortium was used to effectively remove colour from azo dye mixtures and to simultaneously generate bio-electricity using microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Operating temperature (20-50 °C) and salinity (0.5-2.5%w/v) were varied during experiments. Reactor operation at 50 °C improved dye decolourisation and COD removal kinetic constants by approximately 2-fold compared to the kinetic constants at 30 °C. Decolourisation and COD removal kinetic constants remained high (0.28 h(-1) and 0.064 h(-1) respectively) at moderate salinity (1%w/v) but deteriorated approximately 4-fold when the salinity was raised to 2.5% (w/v). Molecular phylogenetic analysis of microbial cultures used in the study indicated that both un-acclimated and dye acclimated cultures from MFCs were predominantly comprised of Firmicutes bacteria. This study demonstrates the possibility of using adapted microbial consortia in MFCs for achieving efficient bio-decolourisation of complex azo dye mixtures and concomitant bio-electricity generation under industrially relevant conditions.
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