Dessì, P., Buenaño, C., Martínez-Sosa, S., Mills, S., Trego, A., Ijaz, U. Z. , Pant, D., Puig, S., O'Flaherty, V. and Farràs, P. (2023) Microbial electrosynthesis of acetate from CO2 in three-chamber cells with gas diffusion biocathode under moderate saline conditions. Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, 16, 100261. (doi: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100261)
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Abstract
The industrial adoption of microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is hindered by high overpotentials deriving from low electrolyte conductivity and inefficient cell designs. In this study, a mixed microbial consortium originating from an anaerobic digester operated under saline conditions (∼13 g L−1 NaCl) was adapted for acetate production from bicarbonate in galvanostatic (0.25 mA cm−2) H-type cells at 5, 10, 15, or 20 g L−1 NaCl concentration. The acetogenic communities were successfully enriched only at 5 and 10 g L−1 NaCl, revealing an inhibitory threshold of about 6 g L−1 Na+. The enriched planktonic communities were then used as inoculum for 3D printed, three-chamber cells equipped with a gas diffusion biocathode. The cells were fed with CO2 gas and operated galvanostatically (0.25 or 1.00 mA cm−2). The highest production rate of 55.4 g m−2 d−1 (0.89 g L−1 d−1), with 82.4% Coulombic efficiency, was obtained at 5 g L−1 NaCl concentration and 1 mA cm−2 applied current, achieving an average acetate production of 44.7 kg MWh−1. Scanning electron microscopy and 16S rRNA sequencing analysis confirmed the formation of a cathodic biofilm dominated by Acetobacterium sp. Finally, three 3D printed cells were hydraulically connected in series to simulate an MES stack, achieving three-fold production rates than with the single cell at 0.25 mA cm−2. This confirms that three-chamber MES cells are an efficient and scalable technology for CO2 bio-electro recycling to acetate and that moderate saline conditions (5 g L−1 NaCl) can help reduce their power demand while preserving the activity of acetogens.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | This work was performed on the framework of the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Pathfinder Award on “Hybrid Bio-Solar Reactors for wastewater treatment and CO2 recycling” (award nr. 19/FIP/ZE/7572 PF). PD is supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement, project ATMESPHERE, No 101029266. SP is a Serra Hunter Fellow (UdG-AG-575) and acknowledges the funding from the ICREA Academia award. LEQUIA has been recognised as a consolidated research group by the Catalan Government (2021-SGR-01352). UZI is supported by EPSRC (EP/P029329/1 and EP/V030515/1). VOF is supported by the Enterprise Ireland Technology Centres Programme (TC/2014/0016) and Science Foundation Ireland (14/IA/2371, 19/FFP/6746 and 16/RC/3889). DP acknowledges the support of the VIVALDI project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement 101000441. |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Ijaz, Dr Umer |
| Authors: | Dessì, P., Buenaño, C., Martínez-Sosa, S., Mills, S., Trego, A., Ijaz, U. Z., Pant, D., Puig, S., O'Flaherty, V., and Farràs, P. |
| College/School: | College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Infrastructure and Environment |
| Journal Name: | Environmental Science and Ecotechnology |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 2666-4984 |
| ISSN (Online): | 2666-4984 |
| Published Online: | 21 March 2023 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2023 The Authors |
| First Published: | First published in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology 16: 100261 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced under a Creative Commons License |
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