Functional Screening of Electrogenicity and Bioelectricity Generation Potentials among Water-Borne Microbial Isolates

Aim: To assess natural electrogenicity and bioelectricity generation potentials of microbial isolates from water sites in Nigeria

Study Design: Sampling of various water sites and microbial isolation for subsequent electrogenic characterization of isolates and bioelectricity generation

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state,

Nigeria between January 2014 to June 2015.

Methodology: Various water sites in Nigeria were assessed, and samples collected. Isolation and identification of bacteria and yeasts were carried out using standard techniques. Electrogenic screening of pure culture using Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) measurements in biolelectrochemical reactors and Cyclic Voltammetry were carried out. Bioelectricity generation measurements using multimeters and calculations of Voltage, Current, Power and Coulombic efficiency in Open and Closed circuit systems were calculated.

Results: A total of 362 microorganisms (254 bacteria; 108 yeasts) were isolated and screened for electrogenicity. Samples from a River Benue site in Yola, Nigeria harboured the highest number of electrogenic isolates among all sites assessed. Sixty-five microorganisms elicited electrogenicity out of which 47 were bacteria and 18 were yeasts. Based on their electrogenic potentials, 7 of the most efficient isolates with electrogenic voltages >500 mV were further selected, and molecularly identified by 16S rRNA and ITS region gene analyses as Pseudomonas aeruginosa A4 (KX397030), Pseudomonas aeruginosa B3 (KX397029), Enterobacter aerogenes 102 (KX397032), Pseudomonas sp. B1 (KX397031), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 104, Bacillus cereus 101 (KX397028) and Pichia kudriavzevii 103 (KX397033). Cyclic voltammetry carried out on the isolates confirmed their electroactivity in comparison with a non-electrogenic Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 strain. Bioelectricity generation experiments showed that P. aeruginosa A4 was the most electrogenic strain, eliciting the highest current of 86.37 ± 14.52 mA/m2. The least current was observed for the Pichia kudriavzevii 103 strain (19.22 ± 9.02 mA/m2).

Conclusion: All isolates proved to be good electrogens and efficient candidates for optimising bioelectricity production.