Microbial community dynamics in continuous microbial fuel cells fed with synthetic wastewater and pig slurry

Bioelectrochemistry. 2016 Oct:111:70-82. doi: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2016.04.007. Epub 2016 Apr 23.

Abstract

Two-chambered microbial fuel cells (MFCs) operating with synthetic wastewater and pig slurry were assessed. Additionally, the use of 2-bromoethanesulfonate (BES-Inh) was studied. The synthetic wastewater-fed MFC (MFCSW) showed a maximum power density (PDmax) of 2138mWm(-3), and the addition of BES-Inh (10mM) did not show any improvement in its performance (PDmax=2078mWm(-3)). When pig slurry was used as feed (MFCPS), PDmax increased up to 5623mWm(-3). The microbial community composition was affected by the type of substrate used. While, Pseudomonadaceae and Clostridiaceae were the most representative families within the acetate-based medium, Flavobacteriaceae, Chitinophagaceae, Comamonadaceae and Nitrosomonadaceae were predominant when pig slurry was used as feed. Otherwise, only the Eubacterial microbial community composition was strongly modified when adding BES-Inh, thus leading to an enrichment of the Bacteroidetes phylum. Oppositely, the Archaeal community was less affected by the addition of BES-Inh, and Methanosarcina sp., arose as the predominant family in both situations. Despite all the differences in microbial communities, 6 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to Bacteroidetes (Porphyromonadaceae and Marinilabiaceae) and Firmicutes (Clostridiales) were found to be common to both MFCs, also for different contents of COD and N-NH4(+), and therefore could be considered as the bioanode core microbiome.

Keywords: 2-Bromoethanesulfonate (BES-Inh); 454-pyrosequencing; Anode biofilm; Microbial fuel cell (MFC); Microbiome; Pig slurry.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Archaea / genetics
  • Archaea / metabolism
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bacteria / metabolism
  • Bioelectric Energy Sources*
  • Biofilms
  • Electrodes
  • Methane / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Swine*
  • Wastewater / microbiology*

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Waste Water
  • Methane