Microfabricated microbial fuel cell arrays reveal electrochemically active microbes

Area of Science:

• Bioelectrochemistry
• Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs)
• Green Energy Technology

Background:

• Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer a sustainable method for electricity generation from organic matter.
• Current MFC power outputs are insufficient for widespread adoption.
• Identifying novel, highly electrochemically active microbes is crucial for MFC advancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-throughput platform for screening electrochemically active microbes.
• To characterize microbial electrochemical activity in a user-friendly format.
• To discover novel microbial strains with enhanced power generation capabilities for MFCs.

Main Methods:

• Development of a microfabricated MFC array with 24 independent miniature MFC chambers.
• Parallel screening and characterization of microbial electrochemical activities.
• Comparative analysis of power output using a reference strain (Shewanella oneidensis MR-1).

Main Results:

• The MFC array demonstrated high reproducibility, with <8% variation in electricity generation between chambers.
• A novel microbial isolate, related to Shewanella putrefaciens IR-1, was identified.
• The identified isolate exhibited a 2.3-fold increase in power output compared to S. oneidensis MR-1.

Conclusions:

• The microfabricated MFC array is a powerful tool for identifying and characterizing electrochemically active microbes.
• The discovery of a higher power-outputting microbe demonstrates the array's utility.
• This platform facilitates the advancement of MFC technology towards practical applications.