Specific and efficient electrochemical selection of Geoalkalibacter subterraneus and Desulfuromonas acetoxidans in high current-producing biofilms

• Saline sediments were used to inoculate microbial bioelectrochemical systems (BES).
• High current densities up to 8.5 A/m2 were obtained with planar graphite electrodes.
• 454 pyrosequencing shows a high microbial selection under saline conditions.
• Glk. subterraneus and/or D. acetoxidans dominated the anodic biofilms.
• Glk. subterraneus then emerges as a high current-producing electroactive bacterium.

Two different saline sediments were used to inoculate potentiostatically controlled reactors (a type of microbial bioelectrochemical system, BES) operated in saline conditions (35 gNaCl l− 1). Reactors were fed with acetate or a mixture of acetate and butyrate at two pH values: 7.0 or 5.5. Electroactive biofilm formation lag-phase, maximum current density production and coulombic efficiency were used to evaluate the overall performance of reactors. High current densities up to 8.5 A m− 2 were obtained using well-defined planar graphite electrodes. Additionally, biofilm microbial communities were characterized by CE-SSCP and 454 pyrosequencing. As a result of this procedure, two anode-respiring bacteria (ARB) always dominated the anodic biofilms: Geoalkalibacter subterraneus and/or Desulfuromonas acetoxidans. This suggests that a strong electrochemically driven selection process imposed by the applied potential occurs in the BES system. Moreover, the emergence of Glk. subterraneus in anodic biofilms significantly contributes to broaden the spectrum of high current producing microorganisms electrochemically isolated from environmental samples.

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