Degradation of oleic acid and simultaneous bioelectricity production by Klebsiella oxytoca ADR 13

ABSTRACT

Klebsiella oxytoca ADR 13 isolated from the gut of Poekilocerus pictus, which feeds on Calotropis gigantean, was studied for its oleic acid degradation capacity in microbial fuel cell (MFC). Both single-chamber MFC and double-chamber MFC were performed. Power density produced by MFC using oleic acid was 4.87 W/m². Gas chromatography mass spectrometry results confirm that oleic acid has been degraded and the products were smaller-chain fatty acids such as lauric acid, myristoleic acid, linoelaidic acid, octadecenoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, vaccenic acid, dodecanoic acid, and palmitoleic acid after the course of 20 days. This study indicates the possibility for bioelectricity production along with the degradation of fatty acids by Klebsiella oxytoca ADR 13.

KEYWORDS:

• Bioelectricity
• degradation
• Klebsiella oxytoca
• microbial fuel cell
• oleic acid

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Nanotechnology Research Centre, SRM University, for providing the facilities to perform SEM analysis, Department of Chemistry, B.S. Abdur Rahman University for providing the instrumentation facility for cyclic voltammogram experiments, Sargam Laboratory Private Limited for helping utilize the GCMS and SS for helping with designing of the microbial fuel cell.