Environmental Biosensor Potential of Microbial Fuel Cells for Nitrate Reduction

Abstract

The present study focuses on the production of bioelectricity through the use of microbial fuel cells (SMFC) using a pure culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa extracted from Andean soils at 3850 m above sea level. This biosensor has been developed from cell systems of bioelectrochemical microbial fuels that are used for the control of toxic compounds such as nitrate. In the study two treatments were applied each with different concentration of NO3 - which were examined individually by microbial fuel cells in batches built from a single chamber partially exposed to air, at the end of the complete investigation of the analyzes presented the nitrate in each of the cells. According to the results obtained from bioelectricity. The bacterial culture of Pseudomonas spp. generates a considerable production of bioelectricity, a concentration of 30 mg/L in the microbial fuel cell 1 (SMFC1) produced 0.083 mV, and at 60 mg/L in the microbial fuel cell 2 (SMFC2) produced 0.109 mV, on average per day. This production increases proportionally if nitrate is added to the cells. With these findings, this system is proposed as a potential biosensor.

Keywords

• SMFC
• Inorganic Compounds
• Nitrates
• Biosensor
• Pseudomonas spp.