Development of microbial fuel cells for bioconversion of glycerol

这项nserc资助的研究项目的主要目标是继续发展微生物燃料电池（MFC）技术，以甘油为平台燃料，用于废物处理和发电。甘油是生物柴油生产的大量副产品；然而，甘油对现有市场的供应是完善的，因此生物柴油产量的增加导致甘油作为一种商品的贬值。因此，新型甘油转化技术可能会产生重大的经济影响。该项目之前的工作表明，甘油可以被几种不同的细菌培养物用作mfc的燃料。所鉴定的培养物也对粗甘油中的污染物具有耐受性，使其成为工艺开发的优秀候选者。该提案超越了已完成的概念验证工作，其研究目标旨在解释允许燃料电池运行的生化现象。提出了研究外电子转移机制的项目；mfc中代谢物谱的变化；以及混合生物催化剂培养中的社区互动。这些也是MFC研究中令人感兴趣但却知之甚少的基本问题。

The primary objective of this NSERC-funded research program is the continued development of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology for waste treatment and power generation, using glycerol as the platform fuel. Glycerol is a high-volume co-product of biodiesel production; however, the supply of glycerol for existing markets is well-established, so increases in biodiesel production are leading to the devaluation of glycerol as a commodity. Novel glycerol conversion technologies could therefore have a significant economic impact. Previous work in this program has shown that glycerol can be used as a fuel in MFCs by several different bacterial cultures. The cultures identified are also tolerant to the contaminants in crude glycerol, making them excellent candidates for process development. This proposal goes beyond the completed proof-of-concept work, with research goals aiming to explain the biochemical phenomena allowing fuel cell operation. Projects are proposed investigating mechanisms of external electron transfer; shifts in metabolite profiles in the MFCs; and community interactions in mixed biocatalyst cultures. These are also fundamental questions that are of interest, but poorly understood, in MFC research.