• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제23권10호
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• pp.1745-1753
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• 2014

Sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC), equipped with Zn, Al, Cu, Fe or graphite felt (GF) anode and marine sediment, was performed. Graphite felt was used as a common cathode. SMFC was single chambered and did not use any redox mediator. The aim of this work was to find efficient anodic material. Oxidation reduction potential (ORP), cell voltage, current density, power density, pH and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were measured for SMFC's performance.. The order of maximum power density was $913mWm^{-2}$ for Zn, $646mWm^{-2}$ for Fe, $387.8mWm^{-2}$ for Cu, $266mWm^{-2}$ for Al, and $127mWm^{-2}$ for graphite felt (GF). The current density over voltage was found to be strongly correlated with metal electrodes, but the graphite felt electrode, in which relatively weaker electricity was observed because of its bio-oriented mechanism. Metal corrosion reactions and/or a complicated microbial electron transfer mechanism acting around the anodic compartment may facilitate to generate electricity. We presume that more sophisticated selection of anodic material can lead to better performance in SMFC.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.363-367
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• 2014

One chambered sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) was equipped with Fe, brass (Cu/Zn), Fe/Zn, Cu, Cu/carbon cloth and graphite felt anode. Graphite felt was used as common cathode. The SMFC was membrane-less and mediator-less as well. Order of anodic performance on the basis of power density was Fe/Zn ($6.90Wm^{-2}$) > Fe ($6.03Wm^{-2}$) > Cu/carbon cloth ($2.13Wm^{-2}$) > Cu ($1.13Wm^{-2}$) > brass ($Cu/Zn=0.24Wm^{-2}$) > graphite felt ($0.10Wm^{-2}$). Fe/Zn composite anode have twisted 6.73% more power than Fe alone, Cu/carbon cloth boosted power production by 65%, and brass (Cu/Zn) produced 65% less power than Cu alone. Graphite felt have shown the lowest electricity generation because of its poor galvanic potential. The estuarine sediment served as supplier of oxidants or electron producing microbial flora, which evoked electrons via a complicated direct microbial electron transfer mechanism or making biofilm, respectively. Oxidation reduction was kept to be stationary over time except at the very initial period (mostly for sediment positioning) at anodes. Based on these findings, cost effective and efficient anodic material can be suggested for better SMFC configurations and stimulate towards practical value and application.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.308-320
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• 2022

The high internal resistance (R_int) that develops across the sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFC) limits their power production (~4/10 mW m^-2) that can be recovered from an initial oil-contaminated sediment (OCS). In the anolyte, R_int is related to poor biodegradation activity, quality and quantity of contaminant content in the sediment and anode material. While on the catholyte, R_int depends on the properties of the catholyte, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and the cathode material. In this work, the main factors limiting the power output of the SMFC have been minimized. The power output of the SMFC was increased (47 times from its initial value, ~4 mW m^-2) minimizing the SMFC R_int (28 times from its initial value, 5000 ohms), following the main modifications. Anolyte: the initial OCS was amended with several amounts of gasoline and kerosene. The best anaerobic microbial activity of indigenous populations was better adapted (without more culture media) to 3 g of kerosene. Catholyte: ORR was catalyzed in birnessite/carbon fabric (CF)-cathode at pH 2, 0.8M Na₂SO₄. At the class level, the main microbial groups (Gammaproteobacteria, Coriobacteriia, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria) with electroactive members were found at C-anode and were associated with the high-power densities obtained. Gasoline is more difficult to biodegrade than kerosene. However, in both cases, SMFC biodegradation activity and power output are increased when ORR is performed on birnessite/CF in 0.8 M Na₂SO₄ at pH 2. The work discussed here can focus on bioremediation (in heavy OCS) or energy production in future work.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.238-242
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• 2020

Sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) illustrated great potential for powering environmental sensors and bioremediation of sediments. In the present study, array anodes for SMFCs were fabricated with graphite rods as anode material and stainless steel plate as electric current collector to make it inconvenient to in situ settle down and not feasible for large-scale application. The results demonstrated that maximum power of 89.4 ㎼ was obtained from three graphite rods, twice of 43.3 ㎼ for two graphite rods. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that three graphite rods resulted in anodic resistance of 61.2 Ω, relative to 76.0 Ω of two graphite rods. It was probably caused by the parallel connection of the graphite rods, as well as more biomass which could reduce the charge transfer resistance of the biofilm anode. The presently designed array configuration possesses the advantages of easy to enlarge the surface area, decrease in anodic resistance because of the parallel connection of each graphite rod, and convenience to berry into sediment by gravity. Therefore, the as prepared array node would be an effective method to fabricate large-scale SMFC and make it easy to in situ applicate in natural sediments.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.254-261
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• 2012

본 연구의 목적은 포도당을 자연의 저질기반 미생물연료전지에 주입할 경우 전기생산을 최적화하기 위한 것이며, 이 때 관련된 미생물의 군집을 분석하고 관련미생물의 역할을 검토하고자 하였다. 1,000 mg/L의 포도당이 주입되었을 때 생성되는 전류가 약 3배 가량 증가하였다. 이러한 증가는 주로 발효세균과 전기생성세균의 상호작용에 기인하는 것으로서, 이는 발효미생물에 의해 생성된 유기산이 전기생성 미생물에 의해서 분해되므로 유기산의 축적을 방지하여 되먹임저해(feedback inhibition) 현상을 감소 시키는데 그 원인이 있는 것으로 보인다. 반면, 더 높은 농도의 포도당이 주입되었을 시에는 전류가 떨어지거나 큰 증가가 일어나지 않았다. 만약 적절한 농도의 포도당이 주입될 시, 전기생성 미생물과 발효미생물이 동시에 포도당을 분해하면서 피드백을 제거하며 전류생성이 증가함을 알 수 있었다. 포도당을 토양에 주입하였을 시에 Clostridium sp.과 같은 발효미생물이 많이 나타났다. 포도당의 발효는 전기생성에 있어서 긍정적 영향과 부정적 영향을 미칠 수 있음이 밝혀졌다. 즉 발효산물이 전기생성미생물에 의해서 분해되어서 사용된다면 전기생성이 증가한다. 하지만, 발효산물이 전기생성미생물에 의해서 분해되지 못한다면 여러 전기생성을 억제하는 화학적반응(pH 저하, 메탄생성, 유기산 축적 등)이 일어나고 미생물연료전지와 관계없는 미생물들이 주입된 유기물을 대부분 분해하여 전기생성이 저하될 수 있음이 밝혀졌다. 적절한 농도의 포도당 주입을 통한 발효세균(Clostridium sp. 등)과 전기발생균(Geobacter sp. 등)의 적절한 조합은 자연상태에서의 혼합미생물존재 환경에서의 전기생산을 증가시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.