• Carbon letters
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• v.20
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• pp.76-80
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• 2016

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.989-996
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• 2012

Nitrate contamination of water environments can create serious problems such as eutrophication of rivers. Conventional biological processes for nitrate removal by heterotrophic denitrification often need additional organic substrates as carbon sources and electron donors. We tried to accelerate biological denitrification by using bioelectrochemical reactor (BER) in which electrode works as an electron donor. Denitrification activity of 8 environmental samples from various sediments, soils, groundwaters, and sludges were tested to establish an efficient enrichment culture for BER. The established enrichment culture from a soil sample showed stable denitrification activity without any nitrite accumulation. Microbial community analysis by using PCR-DGGE method revealed that dominant denitrifiers in the enrichment culture were Pantoea sp., Cronobacter sakazakii, and Castellaniella defragrans. Denitrification rate ($0.08kg/m^3{\cdot}day$) of the enrichment culture in BER with electrode poised at -0.5 V (vs Ag/AgCl) was higher than that ($2.1{\times}10^{-2}kg/m^3{\cdot}day$) of BER without any poised potential. This results suggested that biological denitrification would be improved by supplying potential throughout electrode in BER. Further research using BER without any organic substrate addition is needed to apply this system for bioremediation of water and wastewater contaminated by nitrate.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2014

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) and bioelectrochemical systems are novel bioprocesses which employ exoelectrogenic biofilm on electrode as a biocatalyst for electricity generation and various useful chemical production. Previous reports show that electrogenic biofilms of MFCs are time varying systems and dynamically interactive with the electrically conductive media (carbon paper as terminal electron acceptor). It has been reported that maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method can automatically control load by algorithm so that increase power generation and columbic efficiency. In this study, we developed logic based control strategy for external load resistance by using $LabVIEW^{TM}$ which increases the power production with using flat-plate MFCs and MPPT circuit board. The flat-plate MFCs inoculated with anaerobic digester sludge were stabilized with fixed external resistance from $1000{\Omega}$ to $100{\Omega}$. Automatic load control with MPPT started load from $52{\Omega}$ during 120 hours of operation. MPPT control strategy increased approximately 2.7 times of power production and power density (1.95 mW and $13.02mW/m^3$) compared to the initial values before application of MPPT (0.72 mW and $4.79mW/m^3$).

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.3726-3729
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• 2011

Biofilm formation is inevitable in a bioelectrochemical system in which microorganisms act as a sole biocatalyst. Cathodic biofilm (CBF) works as a double-edged sword in the performance of the air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Proton and oxygen crossover through the CBF are limited by the robust structure of extracellular polymeric substances, composition of available constituents and environmental condition from which the biofilm is formed. The MFC performance in terms of power, current and coulombic efficiency is influenced by the nature and origin of CBF. Development of CBF from different ecological environment while keeping the same anode inoculums, contributes additional charge transfer resistance to the total internal resistance, with increase in coulombic efficiency at the expense of power reduction. This study demonstrates that MFC operation conditions need to be optimized on the choice of initial inoculum medium that leads to the biofilm formation on the air cathode.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.303-310
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• 2023

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a bioelectrochemical system where electrochemically active bacteria convert organic waste into electricity. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and chitosan (CS) are polymers that have been studied as potential alternative ion exchange membranes to Nafion for many electrochemical systems. This study examined the optimal mixing ratio of PVA and chitosan CS in a PVA:CS composite membrane for MFC applications. PVA:CS composite membranes with 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 ratios were synthesized and tested. The water uptake and ion exchange capacity, Fourier transform infrared spectra, and scanning electron microscopy images were analyzed to determine the physicochemical properties of PVA:CS membranes. The prepared membranes were applied to the ion exchange membrane of the MFC system, and their effects on the electrochemical performance were evaluated. These results showed that the composite membrane with a 3:1 (PVA:CS) ratio showed comparable performance to the commercialized Nafion membrane and produced more electricity than the other synthesized membranes. The PVA:CS membrane implemented MFCs produced a maximum power density of 0.026 mW cm^-2 from organic waste with stable performance. Therefore, it can be applied to a cost-effective MFC system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.687-697
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• 2023

Identification of novel, electricity-producing bacteria has garnered remarkable interest because of the various applications of electricigens in microbial fuel cell and bioelectrochemical systems. Shewanella marisflavi BBL25, an electricity-generating microorganism, uses various carbon sources and shows broader sugar utilization than the better-known S. oneidensis MR-1. To determine the sugar-utilizing genes and electricity production and transfer system in S. marisflavi BBL25, we performed an in-depth analysis using whole-genome sequencing. We identified various genes associated with carbon source utilization and the electron transfer system, similar to those of S. oneidensis MR-1. In addition, we identified genes related to hydrogen production systems in S. marisflavi BBL25, which were different from those in S. oneidensis MR-1. When we cultured S. marisflavi BBL25 under anaerobic conditions, the strain produced 427.58 ± 5.85 µl of biohydrogen from pyruvate and 877.43 ± 28.53 µl from xylose. As S. oneidensis MR-1 could not utilize glucose well, we introduced the glk gene from S. marisflavi BBL25 into S. oneidensis MR-1, resulting in a 117.35% increase in growth and a 17.64% increase in glucose consumption. The results of S. marisflavi BBL25 genome sequencing aided in the understanding of sugar utilization, electron transfer systems, and hydrogen production systems in other Shewanella species.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.682-688
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• 2015

Effect of electrode spacing on the performance of microbial electrolysis cells(MECs) for treating sewage sludge was investigated through lab scale experiment. The reactors were equipped with two pairs of electrodes that have a different electrode spacing (16, 32 mm). Shorter electrode distance improved the overall performance of MEC system. With the 16 mm of electrode distance, the current density was $3.04{\sim}3.74A/m^3$ and methane production was $0.616{\sim}0.804Nm^3/m^3$, which were higher than those obtained with 32 mm of electrode spacing ($1.50{\sim}1.82A/m^3$, $0.529{\sim}0.664Nm^3/m^3$). The COD removal was in the range of 34~40%, and the VSS reduction ranged 32~38%. As the current production increased, VSS reduction and methane production were increased possibly due to the improved bioelectrochemical performance of the system. Methane production was more affected by current density than VSS reduction. These results imply that the reducing the electrode spacing can enhance the methane production and recovery from sewage sludge with the decreased internal resistance, however, it was not able to improve VSS reduction of sewage sludge.