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Published on: July 24, 2018
Enrichment of extremophilic exoelectrogens in microbial electrolysis cells using Red Sea brine pools as inocula
Noura A Shehab1, Juan F Ortiz-Medina2, Krishna P Katuri2
1Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Water Desalination and Reuse Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Research Product Development Innovations, The Business Gate Qurtubah, Riyadh 13244, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
Applying microbial electrochemical technologies for the treatment of highly saline or thermophilic solutions is challenging due to the lack of proper inocula to enrich for efficient exoelectrogens. Brine pools from three different locations (Valdivia, Atlantis II and Kebrit) in the Red Sea were investigated as potential inocula sources for enriching exoelectrogens in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) under thermophilic (70°C) and hypersaline (25% salinity) conditions. Of these, only the Valdivia brine pool produced high and consistent current 6.8±2.1A/m2-anode in MECs operated at a set anode potential of +0.2V vs. Ag/AgCl (+0.405V vs. standard hydrogen electrode). These results show that exoelectrogens are present in these extreme environments and can be used to startup MEC under thermophilic and hypersaline conditions. Bacteroides was enriched on the anode of the Valdivia MEC, but it was not detected in the open circuit voltage reactor seeded with the Valdivia brine pool.
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