Self-aggregation of conductive complex with functional microorganisms

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26701010
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Modeling and technologies for environmental conservation and remediation
• Research Institution: Nagoya Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Yoshida Naoko 名古屋工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (10432220)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞外電子伝達 / 酸化グラフェン / 微生物燃料電池 / ジオバクター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Graphene oxide (GO) is reduced by certain exoelectrogenic bacteria, but its effects on bacterial growth and metabolism are a controversial issue. This study aimed to determine whether GO functions as the terminal electron acceptor to allow specific growth of and electricity production by exoelectrogenic bacteria. Cultivation of environmental samples with GO and acetate as the sole substrate could specifically enrich exoelectrogenic bacteria. Interestingly, bacteria in these cultures self-aggregated into a conductive hydrogel complex together with biologically reduced GO (rGO). This hydrogel complex exhibited stable and better electricity production depends upon the characteristics of rGO such as a large surface area for biofilm growth, greater capacitance, and smaller internal resistance. The simple put-and-wait process leading to the formation of hydrogel complexes of rGO and exoelectrogens will enable wider applications of GO to bioelectrochemical systems.

Free Research Field

環境微生物学