Metal-organic framework derived bio-anode enhances chlorobenzene removal and electricity generation: Special Ru4+/Ru3+-bridged intracellular electron transfer

Yang Yu; Haoyang Liu; Huachang Jin; Jianmeng Chen; Dongzhi Chen

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2023.120578

Metal-organic framework derived bio-anode enhances chlorobenzene removal and electricity generation: Special Ru⁴⁺/Ru³⁺-bridged intracellular electron transfer

Water Res. 2023 Oct 15:245:120578. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120578. Epub 2023 Sep 4.

Authors

Yang Yu¹, Haoyang Liu², Huachang Jin³, Jianmeng Chen⁴, Dongzhi Chen⁵

Affiliations

¹ Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution Control, College of Petrochemical Engineering and Environment, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China.
² Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution Control, College of Petrochemical Engineering and Environment, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China; College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China.
³ National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center, College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, Zhejiang, China.
⁴ College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University of Science & Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China.
⁵ Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution Control, College of Petrochemical Engineering and Environment, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China; College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China. Electronic address: chendz@zjou.edu.cn.

PMID: 37688857
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120578

Abstract

Efficient removal of chlorinated organic contaminants using the microbial fuel cell (MFC) provides a promising strategy to alleviate water pollution and energy crisis. However, bio-degradation is challenged by poor biofilm formation and sluggish intracellular electron transfer, causing unsatisfactory electricity generation. To address those problems, a metal-organic framework derivative, Ru-porous TiO₂ (Ru-PT) bio-anode has been artfully designed herein for chlorobenzene removal. The Ru-PT bio-anode not only formed a compact anodic biofilm due to the large specific surface area of PT, but more importantly, it introduced special pseudocapacitance-enhanced intracellular electron transfer by slowly implanting Ru⁴⁺/Ru³⁺ redox pair into bacteria. Such a Ru⁴⁺/Ru³⁺ implantation was then found to directionally induce the enrichment of a dual-functional genus (degrader & exoelectrogen), Pseudomonas, thereby enhancing the conversion of bio-refractory chlorophenols towards biodegradable carboxylic acids. These features allowed our MFC to have a resilient chlorobenzene removal and accompanied satisfactory electricity generation, with power density, coulombic efficiency, and turnover frequency reaching 662 mW m^-2, 8.7%, and 386,622 s^-1, which outcompeted those of other MFCs reported. Further, benefiting from the reversible pseudocapacitance, the Ru-PT bio-anode intriguingly functioned as an internal capacitor for electricity storage. This work provided important insights into cost-effective bio-anode development and offered an avenue for engineering MFC.

Keywords: Chlorobenzene-powered microbial fuel cell; Dual-functional genus; Electricity storage; Metal–organic framework derivative; Pseudocapacitance intracellular electron transfer.

MeSH terms

Bioelectric Energy Sources*
Chlorophenols*
Electricity
Electrodes
Electrons
Metal-Organic Frameworks*

Substances

Metal-Organic Frameworks
Chlorophenols