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Updated: May 8, 2026

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization
Published on: December 29, 2013
Relative effect of bioaugmentation with electrochemically active and non-active bacteria on bioelectrogenesis in
S Veer Raghavulu1, J Annie Modestra1, K Amulya1
1Bioengineering and Environmental Centre (BEEC), CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad 500 007, India.
Abstract:
Bioelectrogenic activity of microbial fuel cells (MFC) augmented with electrochemically active bacteria (EAB, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and non-EAB (Escherichia coli) as biocatalysts was investigated. Anodic microflora augmented with P. aeruginosa (AMFCP) yielded higher electrogenic activity (418 mV; 3.87 mA) than E. coli (AMFCE; 254 mV; 1.67 mA) and non-augmented native microflora (MFCC; 235 mV; 1.37 mA). Higher redox currents along with lower Tafel-slopes were observed with AMFCP operation compared to AMFCE and MFCC due to manifestation of bioaugmentation thereby minimizing the losses. A fourfold and twofold increase in capacitance and exchange current was observed with AMFCP and AMFCE operation respectively, when compared to MFCC. Tracking of augmented biocatalyst by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with defined probes documented the survivability of Pseudomonas sp. in higher numbers than Enterobacteriaceae. Study corroborated enhanced electron transfer capability of mixed consortia owing to the synergistic interaction with EAB due to augmentation.
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