Electricity Generation in Cellulose-Fed Microbial Fuel Cell Using Thermophilic Bacterium, Bacillus sp. WK21

Abstract

The cellulose-fed microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a biotechnological process that directly converts lignocellulosic materials to electricity without combustion. In this study, the cellulose-fed, MFC-integrated thermophilic bacterium, Bacillus sp. WK21, with endoglucanase and exoglucanase activities of 1.25 ± 0.08 U/ml and 0.95 ± 0.02 U/ml, respectively, was used to generate electricity at high temperatures. Maximal current densities of 485, 420, and 472 mA/m2 were achieved when carboxymethyl cellulose, avicel cellulose, and cellulose powder, respectively, were used as substrates. Their respective maximal power was 94.09, 70.56, and 89.30 mW/m3. This study demonstrates the value of the novel use of a cellulase-producing thermophilic bacterium as a biocatalyst for electricity generation in a cellulose-fed MFC.