Acclimatization of microbial consortia to alkaline conditions and enhanced electricity generation

Air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs), obtained by inoculating with an aerobic activated sludge, were activated over a one month period, at pH 10.0, to obtain alkaline MFCs. The alkaline MFCs produced stable power of 118 mW m−2 and a maximum power density of 213 mW m−2 at pH 10.0, using glucose as substrate. The performance of the MFCs was enhanced to produce a stable power of 140 mW m−2 and a maximum power density of 235 mW m−2 by increasing pH to 11.0. This is the highest pH for stably operating MFCs reported in the literature. Power production was found to be suppressed at higher pH (12.0) and lower pH (9.0). Microbial analysis indicated that Firmicutes phylum was largely enriched in the anodic biofilms (88%), within which Eremococcus genus was the dominant group (47%). It is the first time that Eremococcus genus was described in bio-electrochemical systems.