Fermentation of complex organic compounds can produce butyrate, an organic acid not known to be utilized by some anode respiring bacteria (ARB). In batch bottle experiments, a microbial community originating from a hydrothermal vent sediment sample completely converted butyrate to acetate, a known substrate for ARB. When placed in the presence of an electrode and fed solely butyrate, the community produced only small amounts of current (< 1A/m^2). Upon amendment with a community containing Geobacter Sulfurreducens, the microbial community produced much higher current densities(~5 A/m^2). 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses indicated a lack of known ARB prior to addition and a prevalence of Deltaproteobacteria after addition. Combining two microbial communities which could not independently produce electricity from butyrate, we achieved an  enhanced microbial community capable of high current production from butyrate. These results demonstrate the potential of exploiting microbial interactions to improve desired bioenergy outcomes.

Combining microbial cultures for the production of electricity from butyrate in an MXC

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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