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Electrochemical Analysis of Genetically Engineered Bacterial Strains in a Urine-Based Microbial Fuel Cell

Shreeram, Devesh Dadhich
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1458814734

Abstract Details

2016, MS, University of Cincinnati, Engineering and Applied Science: Materials Science.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) use bacterial metabolism to harvest the energy content of organic compounds, producing electrons and protons. In recent years, mutation of bacterial strains to increase the power output has emerged as a priority research focus in the field of MFCs. This thesis investigates wild-type Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1) and two of its mutant strains pilT and pilT-bdlA in Luria broth media (LB) to determine the effect of mutation in the performance of MFCs. In addition the PAO1 and pilT strains are tested in the first urine-based MCF employing genetically engineered bacteria. Polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were implemented to observe the performance of MFC reactors with different bacterial strains and media. The pilT mutant has reduced twitching motility and hyperpiliation, both of which enhance the formation of electrogenic biofilms. The double mutant, pilT-bdlA also has chemotaxis suppression, which should lead to more persistent biofilms because the pilT-bdlA strain does not escape the electrode surface even when the nutrient concentration is low. The increase in biofilm thickness due to pilT-bdlA mutation is also expected to increase the power output. In LB media (Chapter 3), polarization data show that the pilT produces a 4.8-fold power enhancement compared to wild-type PAO1 and a 2.3-fold power enhancement over pilT-bdlA. The pilT-bdlA MFC performance was in between pilT and/ PAO1 (pilT > pilT-bdlA > PAO1). That is, the pilT-bdlA double mutation did not display the expected power enhancement. In urine-based MFCs (Chapter 4), the pilT mutant showed a 2.7-fold increase in peak power density compared to the wild-type strain, PAO1. For both strains, the observed high internal resistance near open circuit voltage was traced to sluggish redox reactions on the anode surface and not to bacterial metabolism. The observed performance of the pilT mutant proved that mutant strains can increase the power output, opening new opportunities for urine-based mini-devices.
Dale Schaefer, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Daniel Hassett, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Jude Iroh, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
43 p.
Energy
microbial fuel cell; MFC; Mutation; Pseudomonas; Urine; Biofilms

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Shreeram, D. D. (2016). Electrochemical Analysis of Genetically Engineered Bacterial Strains in a Urine-Based Microbial Fuel Cell [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1458814734

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Shreeram, Devesh Dadhich. Electrochemical Analysis of Genetically Engineered Bacterial Strains in a Urine-Based Microbial Fuel Cell. 2016. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1458814734.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Shreeram, Devesh Dadhich. "Electrochemical Analysis of Genetically Engineered Bacterial Strains in a Urine-Based Microbial Fuel Cell." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1458814734

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1458814734
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.