Enhanced microbial fuel cell (MFC) power outputs through Membrane Permeabilization using a branched polyethyleneimine

This study demonstrates the impact outer membrane permeability has on the power densities generated by E. coli-based microbial fuel cells with neutral red as the mediator, and how increasing the permeability improves the current generation. Experiments performed with several lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mutants (ΔwaaC, ΔwaaF and ΔwaaG) of E. coli BW25113 that increase the outer membrane permeability found the power generated by two of the truncated LPS mutants, i.e., ΔwaaC and ΔwaaF, to be significantly higher (5.6 and 6.9 mW/m2, respectively) than that of the wild-type E. coli BW25113 (2.6 mW/m2). Branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI, 400 mg/L), a strong chemical permeabilizer, was more effective, however, increasing the power output from E. coli BW25113 cultures to as much as 29.7 mW/m2, or approximately 11-fold higher than the control MFC. BPEI also increased the activities of the mutant strains (to between 10.6 and 16.3 mW/m2), as well as when benzyl viologen was the mediator. Additional tests found BPEI not only enhanced membrane permeability but also increased the zeta potential of the bacterial cells from a value of −43.4 mV to −21.0 mV. This led to a significant increase in auto-aggregation of the bacterial cells and, consequently, better adherence of the cells to the anode electrode, as was demonstrated using scanning electron microscopy. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the importance of outer membrane permeabilities on MFC performances and defines two benefits that BPEI offers when used within MFCs as an outer membrane permeabilizer. •Branched polyethyleneimine positively impacted MFC yields in two distinct ways.•BPEI increased membrane permeability, improved mediator access to electron carriers.•BPEI-treatment also induced bacterial cells to aggregate and form anode biofilms.•Both processes led to significantly better power outputs with various mediators.