Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
12:04
Microfluidic Picoliter Bioreactor for Microbial Single-cell Analysis: Fabrication, System Setup, and Operation
Published on: December 6, 2013
Litre-scale microbial fuel cells operated in a complete loop.
Peter Clauwaert1, Schalla Mulenga, Peter Aelterman
1Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|February 3, 2009
Summary
This study shows that microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can operate continuously and at neutral pH by recirculating liquid between the anode and cathode. Stable current was achieved without pH control, demonstrating a simplified MFC operation.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer a sustainable energy source.
- Maintaining neutral pH is crucial for continuous MFC operation.
- Recirculating anode effluent to the bio-cathode is a proposed method for pH control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate continuous, pH-neutral operation of an MFC by completing the liquid loop.
- To assess current production and ohmic resistance in a large-scale MFC with a complete liquid loop.
Main Methods:
- Operating a 2.5-L MFC with a fully recirculating liquid loop between anode and cathode.
- Utilizing current collectors and subdivided electrical circuitries.
- Measuring stable current production and ohmic cell resistances.
Main Results:
- Achieved stable current production of 23.2 +/- 2.5 A m(-3) MFC.
- Demonstrated successful MFC operation without any pH adjustments.
- Obtained ohmic cell resistances comparable to smaller MFCs (1.4-1.7 mOmega m(3) MFC).
- Identified the need for 10-50 fold improvement in bio-cathode activity for higher current densities.
Conclusions:
- Continuous, pH-neutral MFC operation is feasible by completing the liquid loop.
- Large-scale MFCs can achieve low ohmic resistances.
- Enhancing bio-cathode performance is critical for achieving commercially relevant current densities.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Microbial Fuel Cells
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bioelectrochemical devices that generate electricity by exploiting the metabolic processes of electrogenic bacteria. These systems provide a renewable energy source and serve as an innovative method for treating organic waste, such as wastewater.A typical MFC consists of two chambers: an anoxic (oxygen-free) compartment that houses the bacteria and an oxic (oxygen-rich) compartment that contains oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor. Many MFCs use proton...
01:14Scale-Up Processes
The scale-up of microbial fermentation processes is essential in industrial biotechnology, allowing the transition from laboratory-scale experiments to commercial-scale production while aiming to maintain product yield and quality. This process requires meticulous adjustment of equipment design, process parameters, and contamination control strategies to accommodate increasing culture volumes.At the laboratory scale, cultures are typically maintained in 1 to 10-liter glass or autoclavable...
01:30Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems play a key role in the natural breakdown of contaminants introduced through domestic and industrial effluents. Acting as biological catalysts, these microbes change and mineralize a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants under different redox conditions.In oxygen-rich surface waters, aerobic heterotrophs lead organic matter breakdown, using oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor to efficiently oxidize substrates to carbon dioxide and water.
03:12Batteries and Fuel Cells
A battery is a galvanic cell that is used as a source of electrical power for specific applications. Modern batteries exist in a multitude of forms to accommodate various applications, from tiny button batteries such as those that power wristwatches to the very large batteries used to supply backup energy to municipal power grids. Some batteries are designed for single-use applications and cannot be recharged (primary cells), while others are based on conveniently reversible cell reactions that...
01:29Bioreactor Design and Operational System
Bioreactors are engineered vessels designed to cultivate microorganisms under controlled conditions for industrial bioprocessing. They maintain sterility and allow precise regulation of pH, temperature, oxygen, and nutrient levels to optimize microbial growth and metabolite production. Bioreactors range from small laboratory units of 1 liter to industrial systems holding up to 500,000 liters, though only about 75% of their volume is actively used for fermentation. The remaining headspace...
01:30Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...