DOI: 10.1128/aem.66.4.1292-1297.2000. Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells Using Neutral Red as an Electronophore

Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells Using Neutral Red as an Electronophore

10.1128/aem.66.4.1292-1297.2000

Crossref journal-article

American Society for Microbiology

Applied and Environmental Microbiology (235)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Neutral red (NR) was utilized as an electron mediator in microbial fuel cells consuming glucose to study both its efficiency during electricity generation and its role in altering anaerobic growth and metabolism of Escherichia coli and Actinobacillus succinogenes . A study of chemical fuel cells in which NADH, NR, and ferricyanide were the electron donor, the electronophore, and the electron acceptor, respectively, showed that electrical current produced from NADH was proportional to the concentration of NADH. Fourfold more current was produced from NADH in chemical fuel cells when NR was the electron mediator than when thionin was the electron mediator. In microbial fuel cells in which E. coli resting cells were used the amount of current produced from glucose when NR was the electron mediator (3.5 mA) was 10-fold more than the amount produced when thionin was the electron mediator (0.4 mA). The amount of electrical energy generated (expressed in joules per mole of substrate) and the amount of current produced from glucose (expressed in milliamperes) in NR-mediated microbial fuel cells containing either E. coli or A. succinogenes were about 10- and 2-fold greater, respectively, when resting cells were used than when growing cells were used. Cell growth was inhibited substantially when these microbial fuel cells were making current, and more oxidized end products were formed under these conditions. When sewage sludge (i.e., a mixed culture of anaerobic bacteria) was used in the fuel cell, stable (for 120 h) and equivalent levels of current were obtained with glucose, as observed in the pure-culture experiments. These results suggest that NR is better than other electron mediators used in microbial fuel cells and that sludge production can be decreased while electricity is produced in fuel cells. Our results are discussed in relation to factors that may improve the relatively low electrical efficiencies (1.2 kJ/mol) obtained with microbial fuel cells.

Bibliography

Park, D. H., & Zeikus, J. G. (2000). Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells Using Neutral Red as an Electronophore. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 66(4), 1292â1297.

Authors 2

Doo Hyun Park (first)
J. Gregory Zeikus (additional)

References 22 Referenced 475

Allen M. J. Cellular electrophysiology Methods in microbiology. Norris J. R. Ribbons D. W. 1972 247 283 Academic Press New York N.Y (10.1016/S0580-9517(08)70600-7)
Allen R. M. and H. P. Bennetto. 1993. Microbial fuel cells: electricity production from carbohydrates. Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 39–40: 27–40. (10.1007/BF02918975)
Appleby A. J. Foukes F. R. Fuel cell handbook. 1989 Van Nostrand Reinhol New York N.Y.
10.1016/0302-4598(83)90023-5
10.1007/BF01032279
Chang R. Physical chemistry with application to biological systems 2nd ed. 1981 Macmillan Publishing New York N.Y
Dealney G. M. Bennetto H. P. Mason J. R. Roller S. B. Stirling J. L. Thurston C. F. Electron-transfer coupling in microbial fuel cells. 2. Performance of fuel cells containing selected microorganism-mediator-substrate combinations. Chem. Tech. Biotechnol. 34B 1984 13 27 (10.1002/jctb.280340104) / Chem. Tech. Biotechnol. / Electron-transfer coupling in microbial fuel cells. 2. Performance of fuel cells containing selected microorganism-mediator-substrate combinations. by Dealney G. M. (1984)
10.1016/S0003-2670(01)95447-9
Higgins I. J. Hill H. A. O. Bioelectrochemistry. Essays Biochem. 21 1985 119 145 / Essays Biochem. / Bioelectrochemistry. by Higgins I. J. (1985)
10.1016/0006-291X(82)92117-9
10.1128/jb.170.5.2136-2142.1988
Oldham H. B. Myland J. C. Fundamentals of electrochemical science. 1994 Academic Press New York N.Y (10.1016/B978-0-12-525545-5.50007-2)
10.1023/A:1018441127733
10.1128/AEM.65.7.2912-2917.1999
10.1128/JB.181.8.2403-2410.1999
Roller S. B. Bennetto H. P. Delancy G. M. Mason J. R. Stirling J. L. Thurston C. F. Electron-transfer coupling in microbial fuel cells. 1. Comparison of redox-mediator reduction rates and respiratory rates of bacteria. J. Chem. Tech. Biotechnol. 34B 1984 3 12 (10.1002/jctb.280340103) / J. Chem. Tech. Biotechnol. / Electron-transfer coupling in microbial fuel cells. 1. Comparison of redox-mediator reduction rates and respiratory rates of bacteria. by Roller S. B. (1984)
10.1002/jctb.280420307
10.1002/jctb.280350304
10.1128/BR.41.1.100-180.1977
Thurston C. F. Bennetto H. P. Delaney G. M. Mason J. R. Rooer S. E. Stirling J. L. Glucose metabolism in a microbial fuel cell. Stoichiometry of product formation in a thionine-mediated Proteus vulgaris fuel cell and its relation to coulombic yields. J. Gen. Microbiol. 131 1985 1393 1401 / J. Gen. Microbiol. / Glucose metabolism in a microbial fuel cell. Stoichiometry of product formation in a thionine-mediated Proteus vulgaris fuel cell and its relation to coulombic yields. by Thurston C. F. (1985)
10.1007/s002030050452
10.1016/S0302-4598(97)00091-3

Dates

Type	When
Created	23 years ago (July 27, 2002, 5:58 a.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 6 months ago (Feb. 23, 2022, 4:41 a.m.)
Indexed	4 days, 3 hours ago (Aug. 23, 2025, 12:59 a.m.)
Issued	25 years, 4 months ago (April 1, 2000)
Published	25 years, 4 months ago (April 1, 2000)
Published Print	25 years, 4 months ago (April 1, 2000)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Park_2000, title={Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells Using Neutral Red as an Electronophore}, volume={66}, ISSN={1098-5336}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.66.4.1292-1297.2000}, DOI={10.1128/aem.66.4.1292-1297.2000}, number={4}, journal={Applied and Environmental Microbiology}, publisher={American Society for Microbiology}, author={Park, Doo Hyun and Zeikus, J. Gregory}, year={2000}, month=apr, pages={1292–1297} }

JSON

{
  "indexed": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        8,
        23
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2025-08-23T04:59:11Z",
    "timestamp": 1755925151856
  },
  "reference-count": 22,
  "publisher": "American Society for Microbiology",
  "issue": "4",
  "license": [
    {
      "start": {
        "date-parts": [
          [
            2000,
            4,
            1
          ]
        ],
        "date-time": "2000-04-01T00:00:00Z",
        "timestamp": 954547200000
      },
      "content-version": "tdm",
      "delay-in-days": 0,
      "URL": "https://journals.asm.org/non-commercial-tdm-license"
    }
  ],
  "content-domain": {
    "domain": [
      "journals.asm.org"
    ],
    "crossmark-restriction": true
  },
  "published-print": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2000,
        4
      ]
    ]
  },
  "abstract": "<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title>\n          <jats:p>\n            Neutral red (NR) was utilized as an electron mediator in microbial fuel cells consuming glucose to study both its efficiency during electricity generation and its role in altering anaerobic growth and metabolism of\n            <jats:italic>Escherichia coli</jats:italic>\n            and\n            <jats:italic>Actinobacillus succinogenes</jats:italic>\n            . A study of chemical fuel cells in which NADH, NR, and ferricyanide were the electron donor, the electronophore, and the electron acceptor, respectively, showed that electrical current produced from NADH was proportional to the concentration of NADH. Fourfold more current was produced from NADH in chemical fuel cells when NR was the electron mediator than when thionin was the electron mediator. In microbial fuel cells in which\n            <jats:italic>E. coli</jats:italic>\n            resting cells were used the amount of current produced from glucose when NR was the electron mediator (3.5 mA) was 10-fold more than the amount produced when thionin was the electron mediator (0.4 mA). The amount of electrical energy generated (expressed in joules per mole of substrate) and the amount of current produced from glucose (expressed in milliamperes) in NR-mediated microbial fuel cells containing either\n            <jats:italic>E. coli</jats:italic>\n            or\n            <jats:italic>A. succinogenes</jats:italic>\n            were about 10- and 2-fold greater, respectively, when resting cells were used than when growing cells were used. Cell growth was inhibited substantially when these microbial fuel cells were making current, and more oxidized end products were formed under these conditions. When sewage sludge (i.e., a mixed culture of anaerobic bacteria) was used in the fuel cell, stable (for 120 h) and equivalent levels of current were obtained with glucose, as observed in the pure-culture experiments. These results suggest that NR is better than other electron mediators used in microbial fuel cells and that sludge production can be decreased while electricity is produced in fuel cells. Our results are discussed in relation to factors that may improve the relatively low electrical efficiencies (1.2 kJ/mol) obtained with microbial fuel cells.\n          </jats:p>",
  "DOI": "10.1128/aem.66.4.1292-1297.2000",
  "type": "journal-article",
  "created": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2002,
        7,
        27
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2002-07-27T09:58:35Z",
    "timestamp": 1027763915000
  },
  "page": "1292-1297",
  "update-policy": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/asmj-crossmark-policy-page",
  "source": "Crossref",
  "is-referenced-by-count": 475,
  "title": "Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells Using Neutral Red as an Electronophore",
  "prefix": "10.1128",
  "volume": "66",
  "author": [
    {
      "given": "Doo Hyun",
      "family": "Park",
      "sequence": "first",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "<!--label omitted: 1-->Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 488241 and"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "J. Gregory",
      "family": "Zeikus",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "<!--label omitted: 1-->Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 488241 and"
        },
        {
          "name": "<!--label omitted: 2-->MBI International, Lansing, Michigan 48909-06092"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "member": "235",
  "reference": [
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_2_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "unstructured": "Allen\nM. J.\nCellular electrophysiology\nMethods in microbiology.\nNorris\nJ. R.\nRibbons\nD. W.\n1972\n247\n283\nAcademic Press\nNew York N.Y",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0580-9517(08)70600-7"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_3_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "unstructured": "Allen R. M. and H. P. Bennetto. 1993. Microbial fuel cells: electricity production from carbohydrates. Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 39\u201340: 27\u201340.",
      "DOI": "10.1007/BF02918975"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_4_2",
      "unstructured": "Appleby\nA. J.\nFoukes\nF. R.\nFuel cell handbook.\n1989\nVan Nostrand\nReinhol New York N.Y."
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_5_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0302-4598(83)90023-5"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_6_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1007/BF01032279"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_7_2",
      "unstructured": "Chang\nR.\nPhysical chemistry with application to biological systems\n2nd ed.\n1981\nMacmillan Publishing\nNew York N.Y"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_8_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "13",
      "DOI": "10.1002/jctb.280340104",
      "article-title": "Electron-transfer coupling in microbial fuel cells. 2. Performance of fuel cells containing selected microorganism-mediator-substrate combinations.",
      "volume": "34",
      "author": "Dealney G. M.",
      "year": "1984",
      "unstructured": "Dealney G. M. Bennetto H. P. Mason J. R. Roller S. B. Stirling J. L. Thurston C. F. Electron-transfer coupling in microbial fuel cells. 2. Performance of fuel cells containing selected microorganism-mediator-substrate combinations. Chem. Tech. Biotechnol. 34B 1984 13 27",
      "journal-title": "Chem. Tech. Biotechnol."
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_9_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0003-2670(01)95447-9"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_10_2",
      "first-page": "119",
      "article-title": "Bioelectrochemistry.",
      "volume": "21",
      "author": "Higgins I. J.",
      "year": "1985",
      "unstructured": "Higgins I. J. Hill H. A. O. Bioelectrochemistry. Essays Biochem. 21 1985 119 145",
      "journal-title": "Essays Biochem."
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_11_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0006-291X(82)92117-9"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_12_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1128/jb.170.5.2136-2142.1988"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_13_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "unstructured": "Oldham\nH. B.\nMyland\nJ. C.\nFundamentals of electrochemical science.\n1994\nAcademic Press\nNew York N.Y",
      "DOI": "10.1016/B978-0-12-525545-5.50007-2"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_14_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1023/A:1018441127733"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_15_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1128/AEM.65.7.2912-2917.1999"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_16_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1128/JB.181.8.2403-2410.1999"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_17_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "3",
      "DOI": "10.1002/jctb.280340103",
      "article-title": "Electron-transfer coupling in microbial fuel cells. 1. Comparison of redox-mediator reduction rates and respiratory rates of bacteria.",
      "volume": "34",
      "author": "Roller S. B.",
      "year": "1984",
      "unstructured": "Roller S. B. Bennetto H. P. Delancy G. M. Mason J. R. Stirling J. L. Thurston C. F. Electron-transfer coupling in microbial fuel cells. 1. Comparison of redox-mediator reduction rates and respiratory rates of bacteria. J. Chem. Tech. Biotechnol. 34B 1984 3 12",
      "journal-title": "J. Chem. Tech. Biotechnol."
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_18_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1002/jctb.280420307"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_19_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1002/jctb.280350304"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_20_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1128/BR.41.1.100-180.1977"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_21_2",
      "first-page": "1393",
      "article-title": "Glucose metabolism in a microbial fuel cell. Stoichiometry of product formation in a thionine-mediated Proteus vulgaris fuel cell and its relation to coulombic yields.",
      "volume": "131",
      "author": "Thurston C. F.",
      "year": "1985",
      "unstructured": "Thurston C. F. Bennetto H. P. Delaney G. M. Mason J. R. Rooer S. E. Stirling J. L. Glucose metabolism in a microbial fuel cell. Stoichiometry of product formation in a thionine-mediated Proteus vulgaris fuel cell and its relation to coulombic yields. J. Gen. Microbiol. 131 1985 1393 1401",
      "journal-title": "J. Gen. Microbiol."
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_22_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1007/s002030050452"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_3_2_23_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0302-4598(97)00091-3"
    }
  ],
  "container-title": "Applied and Environmental Microbiology",
  "original-title": [],
  "language": "en",
  "link": [
    {
      "URL": "https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/AEM.66.4.1292-1297.2000",
      "content-type": "application/pdf",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "text-mining"
    },
    {
      "URL": "https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/AEM.66.4.1292-1297.2000",
      "content-type": "unspecified",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "similarity-checking"
    }
  ],
  "deposited": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2022,
        2,
        23
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2022-02-23T09:41:47Z",
    "timestamp": 1645609307000
  },
  "score": 1,
  "resource": {
    "primary": {
      "URL": "https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/AEM.66.4.1292-1297.2000"
    }
  },
  "subtitle": [],
  "short-title": [],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2000,
        4
      ]
    ]
  },
  "references-count": 22,
  "journal-issue": {
    "issue": "4",
    "published-print": {
      "date-parts": [
        [
          2000,
          4
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "alternative-id": [
    "10.1128/AEM.66.4.1292-1297.2000"
  ],
  "URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AEM.66.4.1292-1297.2000",
  "relation": {},
  "ISSN": [
    "0099-2240",
    "1098-5336"
  ],
  "subject": [],
  "container-title-short": "Appl Environ Microbiol",
  "published": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2000,
        4
      ]
    ]
  },
  "assertion": [
    {
      "value": "1999-06-11",
      "order": 0,
      "name": "received",
      "label": "Received",
      "group": {
        "name": "publication_history",
        "label": "Publication History"
      }
    },
    {
      "value": "2000-01-07",
      "order": 1,
      "name": "accepted",
      "label": "Accepted",
      "group": {
        "name": "publication_history",
        "label": "Publication History"
      }
    },
    {
      "value": "2000-04-01",
      "order": 2,
      "name": "published",
      "label": "Published",
      "group": {
        "name": "publication_history",
        "label": "Publication History"
      }
    }
  ]
}