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Characterization of an electro-active biocathode capable of dechlorinating trichloroethene and cis-dichloroethene to ethene

TitleCharacterization of an electro-active biocathode capable of dechlorinating trichloroethene and cis-dichloroethene to ethene
Publication TypeArticolo su Rivista peer-reviewed
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsAulenta, F., Reale P., Canosa A., Rossetti S., Panero S., and Majone M.
JournalBiosensors and Bioelectronics
Volume25
Pagination1796-1802
ISSN09565663
KeywordsA-carbon, Anaerobic microorganisms, article, Bacteria (microorganisms), Bacterial cells, bacterial colonization, bacterial phenomena and functions, Bacterial Physiological Phenomena, Batch assay, Biocathode, Biocathodes, Biodegradation, Bioremediation, Biotechnology, chemical reaction kinetics, Chlorinated solvent, chlorine, cyclic potentiometry, Cyclic voltammetry, dechlorination, dichloroethene, Direct contact, Electrochemical corrosion, Electrochemical electrodes, Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Electrochemistry, electrode, Electrode interface, Electrode surfaces, Electrodes, Electron donors, Electron transitions, electron transport, Electron-transfer reactions, Environmental, Equipment, Equipment Design, Equipment Failure Analysis, Ethylene, ethylene derivative, Ethylenes, Extracellular electron transfer, Fish analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization, groundwater, Groundwater pollution, haloolefin, In-situ bioremediation, Industrial solvents, instrumentation, isolation and purification, Magnetic stirring, Mediator-less, Metabolic reactions, metabolism, Microorganisms, nonhuman, oxidation reduction reaction, Polarization, Polarization resistances, Potentiostatics, Reaction kinetics, Redox mediators, Redox reactions, Redox-active, Reductive dechlorination, reproducibility, Reproducibility of Results, Scanning electron microscopy, Sensitivity and Specificity, Solid state reactions, Solid-state electrodes, Standard hydrogen electrodes, Trichloroethenes, Trichloroethylene, unclassified drug, vinyl chloride, Vinyl chlorides
Abstract

In the presence of suitable electron donors, the industrial solvent trichloroethene (TCE) is reductively dechlorinated by anaerobic microorganisms, eventually to harmless ethene. In this study we investigated the use of a carbon paper electrode, polarized to -550 mV vs. standard hydrogen electrode (SHE), as direct electron donor for the mediator-less microbial reductive dechlorination of TCE to ethene. In potentiostatic batch assays, TCE was dechlorinated to predominantly cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) and lower amounts of vinyl chloride (VC) and ethene, at rates falling in the range 14.2-22.4μequiv./L d. When cis-DCE was spiked to the system, it was also dechlorinated, to VC and ethene, but at a much lower rate (1.5-1.7μequiv./L d). Scanning electron microscopy and FISH analyses revealed that the electrode was homogeneously colonized by active bacterial cells, each in direct contact with the electrode surface. Cyclic voltammetry tests revealed the presence, at the electrode interface, of formed redox active components possibly involved in the extracellular electron transfer processes, that were however detached by a vigorous magnetic stirring. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests revealed that polarization resistances of the electrode in the presence of microorganisms (ranging from 0.09 to 0.17 kΩ/cm2) were one-order of magnitude lower than those measured with abiotic electrodes (ranging from 1.4 to 1.8 kΩ/cm2). This confirmed that attached dechlorinating microorganisms significantly enhanced the kinetics of the electron transfer reactions. Thus, for the first time, the bio-electrochemical dechlorination of TCE to ethene is obtained without the apparent requirements for exogenous or self-produced redox mediators. Accordingly, this work further expands the range of metabolic reactions and microorganisms that can be stimulated by using solid-state electrodes, and has practical implications for the in situ bioremediation of groundwater contaminated by chlorinated solvents. © 2009 Elsevier B.V.

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URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77952313692&doi=10.1016%2fj.bios.2009.12.033&partnerID=40&md5=f14d13ca36e0b87220d4adf729375c2b
DOI10.1016/j.bios.2009.12.033
Citation KeyAulenta20101796