Study on performance and mechanisms of anaerobic oxidation of methane-microbial fuel cells (AOM-MFCs) with acetate-acclimatizing or formate-acclimatizing electroactive culture

Anaerobic oxidation of methane-microbial fuel cells with acetate-acclimatizing or formate-acclimatizing electroactive culture (A-AOM-MFC and F-AOM-MFC) were designed and operated at room temperature in this study to evaluate and explore the electrochemical performance and mechanisms of methane conversion and electricity generation. The results indicated that A-AOM-MFC output a higher voltage (0.526 +/- 0.001 V) and F-AOM-MFC started up in a shorter time (51 d), resulting from different mechanisms of methane-electrogen caused by discrepant microbial alliances. Specifically, in A-AOM-MFC, acetoclastic methanogens (e.g., Methanosaeta) converted methane into intermediates (e.g., acetate) through reversing methanogenesis and carried out the direct interspecific electron transfer (DIET) with Geobacter-predominated electricigens which can oxidize the intermediates to carbon dioxide and transfer electrons to the electrodes. Differently, the intermediate-dependent extracellular electron transfer (EET) existed in F-AOM-MFC between hydro-methanogens (e.g., Methanobacterium) and electricigens (e.g., Geothrix), which was more difficult than DIET. Additionally, hydromethanogens metabolized methane to produce formate-dominant intermediates more quickly.

Automated summary

Anaerobic oxidation of methane-microbial fuel cells (A-AOM-MFC and F-AOM-MFC) with acetate-acclimatizing or formate-acclimatizing electroactive culture were studied. A-AOM-MFC produced a higher voltage and F-AOM-MFC started up faster due to different mechanisms of methane-electrogen caused by different microbial alliances. In A-AOM-MFC, acetoclastic methanogens converted methane to acetate and carried out direct interspecific electron transfer (DIET) with Geobacter-predominated electricigens. In F-AOM-MFC, intermediate-dependent extracellular electron transfer (EET) occurred between hydro-methanogens and electricigens, with faster production of formate-dominant intermediates.