Deciphering optimal biostimulation strategy of supplementing anthocyanin-abundant plant extracts for bioelectricity extraction in microbial fuel cells

Abstract

Background: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are effective biofuel devices that use indigenous microbes to directly convert chemical energy from organics oxidation into bioelectric energy. To maximize energy-converting efficiency for bioelectricity generation in MFCs, redox mediators (RMs) (e.g., extracts obtained from plant resource-Camellia green tea) have been explored for optimal stimulation upon electron transfer (ET) capabilities. Anthocyanins are natural antioxidants widely used in food science and medicinal industry. This first-attempt study revealed optimal strategies to augment extracts of anthocyanin-rich herbs (Lycium ruthenicum Murr., Clitoria ternatea Linn. and Vaccinium Spp.) as biofuel sources of catalytic RMs for stimulating bioenergy extraction in MFCs.

Results: This work showed that extracts of anthocyanin-rich herbs were promising electroactive RMs. The maximal power density of MFCs supplemented with extract of L. ruthenicum Murr. was achieved, suggesting that extract of L. ruthenicum Murr. would be the most electrochemically appropriate RMs. Compared to C. ternatea Linn. and Vaccinium Spp., L. ruthenicum Murr. evidently owned the most significant redox-mediating capability to stimulate bioenergy extraction likely due to significantly high contents of polyphenols (e.g., anthocyanin). Evidently, increases in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content directly responded to supplementation of anthocyanin-rich herbal extracts. It strongly suggested that the electron-shuttling characteristics of RMs upon electroactive microorganisms could effectively promote the electron transfer capability to maximize bioenergy extraction in MFCs.

Conclusion: Anthocyanin as the main water-soluble vacuolar pigments in plant products were very electroactive for not only excellent antioxidant activities, but also promising electron-shuttling capabilities for renewable biofuel applications. This work also suggested the electron-shuttling mechanism of RMs that could possibly promote electron transport phenomena through microbial cell membrane, further influencing the electron transport chain for efficient bioenergy generation.

Keywords: Adenosine triphosphate synthesis; Anthocyanin; Electron transport chain; Microbial fuel cells; Polyphenolic antioxidants; Redox mediators.

Fig. 1

Basic chemical structures of the major classes in anthocyanidin

Fig. 2

Comparison of CV profiles of a L. ruthenicm Murr., b C. ternatea Linn., c Vaccinium Spp. and d overall comparison for the 100th cycle of CV profiles at the concentration of 1000 mg L⁻¹

Fig. 3

Comparative dose–response curves of antioxidant capabilities of anthocyanin-rich extracts

Fig. 4

Comparison on power density curves of mixed consortia-seeded microbial fuel cells a MFC-A, b MFC-B and pure bacterium-inoculated microbial fuel cells c NIU01, d WLP72 with supplementation of L. ruthenicm Murr., C. ternatea Linn. and Vaccinium Spp. extracts

Fig. 5

Comparative profiles of ATP synthesis with the supplementation of anthocyanin-rich extracts in pure bacterium-inoculated double chamber MFCs

Fig. 6

Schematic diagram of mechanisms between redox mediators and electroactive bacteria in MFCs