Unraveling Biostimulation of Decolorized Mediators for Microbial Fuel Cell-Aided Textile Dye Decontamination

This first-attempt study revealed that decolorized intermediates of azo dyes could act as redox mediators to assist wastewater (WW) decolorization due to enhancement of electron-transport phenomena. Electrochemical impedance spectra indicated that hydroxyl and amino-substituent(s) were functional group(s) as redox-mediator(s). As azo dyes are usually multiple benzene-rings structured, their derived decolorized intermediates are likely to play roles of electron shuttles due to lower barrier of energy gap for electron shuttling. According to cyclic voltammetric profiles, redox mediating characteristics of decolorized intermediates of azo dyes (e.g., RBu171, RR198, RR141, RBk5) were clearly disclosed. With supplementation of biodecolorized metabolites of RR141 and 198, decolorization performance of could be evidently augmented. This study also suggested the optimal modes of microbial fuel cell (MFC)-assisted WW decolorization would be plug-flow or batch mode of operation with no mix. Single chamber-MFCs would be more favourable than double chamber MFCs due to non-mixing contacting reactor scheme for operation.

Authors:

• Pei-Lin Yueh
• Bor-Yann Chen
• Chuan-Chung Hsueh

Keywords:

• Redox mediators
• dye decolorization
• bioelectricity generation
• microbial fuel cells.

References:

[1] X.Z. Wang, X Cheng, D. Sun, “Autocatalysis in Reactive Black 5
biodecolorization by Rhodopseudomonas palustris W1,” Appl. Microbiol.
Biotechnol. Vol. 80, no. 5, pp. 907–915, October 2008.
[2] B.Y. Chen, J. Hong, I.S. Ng, Y.M. Wang, S.Q. Liu, B. Lin, C. Ni,
“Deciphering simultaneous bioelectricity generation and reductive
decolorization using mixed-culture microbial fuel cells in salty media,” J.
Taiwan Inst. Chem. Engrs., vol. 44, no. 3m pp. 446-453, May 2013.
[3] X. Jin, G. Liu, Z. Xu, W. Tao, “Decolourisation of a Dye Industry
Effluent by Aspergillus fumigatus XC6,” Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol.,
vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 239-243, February 2007.
[4] H. Liu, S. Cheng, B.E. Logan, “Production of Electricity from Acetate or
Butyrate Using a Single-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell,” Environ. Sci.
Technol. vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 658–662, 2005.
[5] D.R. Bond, D.E. Holmes, L.M. Tender, D.R. Lovley,
“Electrode-reducing microorganisms that harvest energy from marine
sediments,” Science, vol. 295, no. 5554, pp. 483–485, 18 January 2002.
[6] M.M. Zhang, W.M. Chen, B.Y. Chen, C.T. Chang, C.C. Hsueh, Y. Ding,
K.L. Lin, H. Xu, “Comparative study on characteristics of azo dye
decolorization by indigenous decolorizers,” Bioresour. Technol., vol.
101, no.8, pp. 2651–2656, April 2010.
[7] B.E. Logan, J.M. Regan, “Electricity-producing bacterial communities in
microbial fuel cells,” Trends in Microbiol. vol. 14, no. 12, pp. 512-518,
2006.
[8] B. E. Logan, Chapt. 2 Exoelectrogens. In: Microbial Fuel Cells.
Wiley-Interscience, pp.12-28, 2008.
[9] B.Y. Chen, B. Xu, P.L. Yueh, K. Han, L.J. Qin, C.C. Hsueh,
“Deciphering electron-shuttling characteristics of thionine-based textile
dyes in microbial fuel cells,” J. Taiwan Inst. Chem. Engrs., vol. 51,
pp.63-70, June 2015.
[10] B.Y. Chen, M.M. Zhang, Y. Ding, C.T. Chang, ”Feasibility study of
simultaneous bioelectricity generation and dye decolorization using
naturally occurring decolorizers,” J. Taiwan Inst. Chem. Engrs, vol. 41,
no. 6, pp. 682-688, November 2010.
[11] C.C. Hsueh, Y.M. Wang, B.Y. Chen, “Metabolite analysis on reductive
biodegradation of reactive green 19 in Enterobacter
cancerogenus bearing microbial fuel cell (MFC) and non-MFC cultures,”
J. Taiwan Inst. Chem. Engrs, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 436-443, March 2014.
[12] Levenspiel, O., Chapter 8 Potpourri of Multiple Reactions. In: Chemical
Reaction Engineering. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 3rd Ed, pp.170-206, 1999.
[13] J.C.W. Lan, K. Raman, C.M. Huang, C.M. Chang, “The impact of
monochromatic blue and red LED light upon performance of photo
microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) using Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
transformation F5 as biocatalyst,” Biochem. Eng. J., vol. 78, no. 15, pp.
39-43, September 2013.
[14] B.Y. Chen, K.W. Lin, Y.M. Wang, C.Y. Yen, “Revealing interactive
toxicity of aromatic amines to azo dye decolorizer Aeromonas
hydrophila,” J. Hazard. Mater., vo. 166, no. 1, pp.187-194, July 2009.
[15] B.Y. Chen, Y.M. Wang, I-S. Ng, “Understanding interactive
characteristics of bioelectricity generation and reductive decolorization
using Proteus hauseri,” Bioresour. Technol., vo. 102, no. 2, pp.
1159-1165, January 2011.
[16] B.Y. Chen, Y.M. Wang, I.S. Ng, S.Q. Liu, J.Y. Hung, “Deciphering
simultaneous bioelectricity generation and dye decolorization using
Proteus hauseri,” J. Biosci. Bioeng., vol. 113, no.4, pp. 502-507, April
2012.
[17] B.Y. Chen, C.C. Hsueh, W.M. Chen, W.D. Li, “Exploring decolorization
and halotolerance characteristics by indigenous acclimatized bacteria:
Chemical structure of azo dyes and dose–response assessment,” J.
Taiwan Inst. Chem. Engrs., vol. 42, no. 5, pp. 816-825, September 2010.
[18] B.Y. Chen, W.M. Chen, F.L. Wu, P.K. Chen, C.Y. Yen, “Revealing
azo-dye decolorization of indigenous Aeromonas hydrophila from
fountain spring in Northeast Taiwan,” J. Chin. Inst. Chem. Eng., vol. 39,
no.5, pp. 495–501, September 2008.
[19] B.Y. Chen, “Understanding decolorization characteristics of reactive azo
dyes by Pseudomonas luteola: toxicity and kinetics,” Proc. Biochem., vol.
38, no. 3, pp. 437-446, November 2002.
[20] B.Y. Chen, C.C. Hsueh, S.Q. Liu, J.Y. Hung, Y. Qiao, P.L. Yueh, Y.M.
Wang, “Unveiling characteristics of dye-bearing microbial fuel cells for
energy and materials recycling: Redox mediators,” International J.
Hydrogen Energy, vol. 38, no.35, pp. 15598-15605, November 2013.
[21] B. Xu, B.Y. Chen, C.C. Hsueh, L.J. Qin, C.T. Chang, ”Deciphering
characteristics of bicyclic aromatics-mediators for reductive decolorization and bioelectricity generation,” Bioresour. Technol., vol.
163, pp. 280-286, July 2014.
[22] J.I. Aihara, “Reduced HOMO-LUMO Gap as an Index of Kinetic
Stability for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons,” J. Phys. Chem. A,” vol.
103, no. 37, pp. 7487-7495, August 1999.
[23] K. Watanabe, M. Manefield, M. Lee, A. Kouzuma, “Electron shuttles in
biotechnology,” Current Opinion in Biotechnol., vol. 20, no. 6, pp.
633-641, December 2009.
[24] C.C. Hsueh, B.Y. Chen, C.Y. Yen,”Understanding effects of chemical
structure on azo dye decolorization characteristics by Aeromonas
hydrophila,” J. Hazard. Mater., vol. 167, no. 1-3, pp. 995-1001, August
2009.
[25] Y. Qiao, C.M. Li, S.J. Bao, Q.L. Bao, 2007. “Carbon nanotube/poltaniline
composite as anode material for microbial fuel cells,’ J. Power Source,
vol. 170, no. 1, pp. 79-84, June 2007.