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Salehmin MNI, Hil Me MF, Daud WRW, Mohd Yasin NH, Abu Bakar MH, Sulong AB, Lim SS. Construction of microbial electrodialysis cells equipped with internal proton migration pathways: Enhancement of wastewater treatment, desalination, and hydrogen production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:158527. [PMID: 36096221 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microbial electrodialysis cells (MEDCs) offer simultaneous wastewater treatment, water desalination, and hydrogen production. In a conventional design of MEDCs, the overall performance is retarded by the accumulation of protons on the anode due to the integration of an anion exchange membrane (AEM). The accumulation of protons reduces the anolyte pH to become acidic, affecting the microbial viability and thus limiting the charge carrier needed for the cathodic reaction. This study has modified the conventional MEDC with an internal proton migration pathway, known as the internal proton migration pathway-MEDC (IP-MEDC). Simulation tests under abiotic conditions demonstrated that the pH changes in the anolyte and catholyte of IP-MEDC were smaller than the pH changes in the anolyte and catholyte without the proton pathways. Under biotic conditions, the performance of the IP-MEDC agreed well with the simulation test, showing a significantly higher chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate, desalination rate, and hydrogen production than without the migration pathway. This result is supported by the lowest charge transfer resistance shown by EIS analysis and the abundance of microbes on the bioanode through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) observation. However, hydrogen production was diminished in the second-fed batch cycle, presumably due to the active diffusion of high Cl¯ concentrations from desalination to the anode chamber, which was detrimental to microbial growth. Enlarging the anode volume by threefold improved the COD removal rate and hydrogen production rate by 1.7- and 3.4-fold, respectively, owing to the dilution effect of Cl¯ in the anode. This implied that the dilution effect satisfies both the microbial viability and conductivity. This study also suggests that the anolyte and catholyte replacement frequencies can be reduced, typically at a prolonged hydraulic retention time, thus minimizing the operating cost (e.g., solution pumping). The use of a high concentration of NaCl (35 g L-1) in the desalination chamber and catholyte provides a condition that is close to practicality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wan Ramli Wan Daud
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nazlina Haiza Mohd Yasin
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mimi Hani Abu Bakar
- Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abu Bakar Sulong
- Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Swee Su Lim
- Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Sharma R, Kumari R, Pant D, Malaviya P. Bioelectricity generation from human urine and simultaneous nutrient recovery: Role of Microbial Fuel Cells. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 292:133437. [PMID: 34973250 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Urine is a 'valuable waste' that can be exploited to generate bioelectricity and recover key nutrients for producing NPK-rich biofertilizers. In recent times, improved and innovative waste management technologies have emerged to manage the rapidly increasing environmental pollution and to accomplish the goal of sustainable development. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have attracted the attention of environmentalists worldwide to treat human urine and produce power through bioelectrochemical reactions in presence of electroactive bacteria growing on the anode. The bacteria break down the complex organic matter present in urine into simpler compounds and release the electrons which flow through an external circuit generating current at the cathode. Many other useful products are harvested at the end of the process. So, in this review, an attempt has been made to synthesize the information on MFCs fuelled with urine to generate bioelectricity and recover value-added resources (nutrients), and their modifications to enhance productivity. Moreover, configuration and mode of system operation, and factors enhancing the performance of MFCs have been also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozi Sharma
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Rekha Kumari
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Deepak Pant
- Separation & Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, Mol, 2400, Belgium
| | - Piyush Malaviya
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
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Ye Y, Ngo HH, Guo W, Chang SW, Nguyen DD, Varjani S, Liu Q, Bui XT, Hoang NB. Bio-membrane integrated systems for nitrogen recovery from wastewater in circular bioeconomy. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 289:133175. [PMID: 34875297 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater contains a significant amount of recoverable nitrogen. Hence, the recovery of nitrogen from wastewater can provide an option for generating some revenue by applying the captured nitrogen to producing bio-products, in order to minimize dangerous or environmental pollution consequences. The circular bio-economy can achieve greater environmental and economic sustainability through game-changing technological developments that will improve municipal wastewater management, where simultaneous nitrogen and energy recovery are required. Over the last decade, substantial efforts were undertaken concerning the recovery of nitrogen from wastewater. For example, bio-membrane integrated system (BMIS) which integrates biological process and membrane technology, has attracted considerable attention for recovering nitrogen from wastewater. In this review, current research on nitrogen recovery using the BMIS are compiled whilst the technologies are compared regarding their energy requirement, efficiencies, advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, the bio-products achieved in the nitrogen recovery system processes are summarized in this paper, and the directions for future research are suggested. Future research should consider the quality of recovered nitrogenous products, long-term performance of BMIS and economic feasibility of large-scale reactors. Nitrogen recovery should be addressed under the framework of a circular bio-economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyao Ye
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia; NTT Institute of Hi-Technology, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
| | - Wenshan Guo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Soon Woong Chang
- Department of Environmental Energy Engineering, Kyonggi University, 442-760, Republic of Korea
| | - Dinh Duc Nguyen
- Department of Environmental Energy Engineering, Kyonggi University, 442-760, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunita Varjani
- Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382 010, India
| | - Qiang Liu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, No. 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, PR China.
| | - Xuan Thanh Bui
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh (VNU-HCM), Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet Nam
| | - Ngoc Bich Hoang
- NTT Institute of Hi-Technology, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
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Matsena MT, Mabuse M, Tichapondwa SM, Chirwa EMN. Improved performance and cost efficiency by surface area optimization of granular activated carbon in air-cathode microbial fuel cell. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 281:130941. [PMID: 34289611 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) architectural modification is increasingly becoming an important area of research due to the need to improve energy recovery. This study presents a low-cost modification method of the anode that does not require pre-treatment-step involving hazardous chemicals to improve performance. The modification step involves deposition of granular activated carbon (GAC) which is highly conductive and provides a high specific surface area inside a carbon cloth that acts as an anode and as a supporting material. The GAC particle size of 0.6-1.1 mm resulted in an increase in air-cathode MFC performance due to an increase in available surface area of 879.5 m2 g-1 for attachment of cells based on Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) results, and an increase in the appropriate surface for attachment of cells which was rough based on the scanning electron microscope (SEM) results. On the other hand, although GAC with size of particles of 0.45-0.6 mm had the highest available surface area for attachment of cells, it lacked the appropriate surface for attachment of cells and reduced MFC performance. This means that particle size optimization of GAC is essential since there is a limit to which the particle diameter can be reduced. The utilization of the GAC with the optimized particle size produced an output voltage of 507.5 mV and maximum power output of 1287.7 mW m-3 at current output of 2537.5 mA m-3. This study also showed that there is an economic benefit in modifying carbon cloth using GAC with optimized particle size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mpumelelo T Matsena
- Water Utilisation and Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.
| | - Mziwenene Mabuse
- Water Utilisation and Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Shepherd M Tichapondwa
- Water Utilisation and Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Evans M N Chirwa
- Water Utilisation and Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
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Liu T, Nadaraja AV, Friesen J, Gill K, Lam MI, Roberts DJ. Narrow pH tolerance found for a microbial fuel cell treating winery wastewater. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 131:2280-2293. [PMID: 33843137 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The use of microbial fuel cells (MFC) to treat winery wastewater is promising; however, an initial acidic pH, fluctuating chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels and a lack of natural buffering in these wastewaters make providing a suitable buffer system at an ideal buffer to COD ratio. METHODS AND RESULTS A lab scale MFC was designed, inoculated with anaerobic winery sludge and fed with synthetic winery wastewater. It was observed that at pH 6·5, the MFC performed best, the maximum output voltage was 0·63 ± 0·01 V for 60 ± 3 h, and the COD removal efficiency reached 77 ± 7%. The electrogens were affected by pH much more than the bulk COD degrading organisms. Fluorescent in situ hybridization suggested Betaproteobacteria played a significant role in electron transfer. CONCLUSIONS A ratio of 1 mmol l-1 phosphate buffer to 100 mg l-1 COD was ideal to maintain a stable pH for MFCs treating synthetic winery wastewater. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The results find the narrow pH tolerance for MFCs treating winery wastewater and demonstrate the significance of pH and buffer to COD ratio for steady performance of MFCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Liu
- School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - A V Nadaraja
- School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - J Friesen
- School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - K Gill
- School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - M I Lam
- School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - D J Roberts
- School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada.,Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada
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Nath D, Chakraborty I, Ghangrekar M. Integrating microbial electrochemical technologies for methane-to-bioelectricity and water-splitting to impart self-sustainability to wastewater treatment plants. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biteb.2021.100644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Jadhav DA, Carmona-Martínez AA, Chendake AD, Pandit S, Pant D. Modeling and optimization strategies towards performance enhancement of microbial fuel cells. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 320:124256. [PMID: 33120058 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Considering the complexity associated with bioelectrochemical processes, the performance of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) is governed by input operating parameters. For scaled-up applications, a MFC system needs to be modeled from engineering perspectives in terms of optimum operating conditions to get higher performance and energy recovery. Several conceptual numerical models to advanced computational simulation approaches have been developed to represent simple-form of a complex MFC system. Application of mathematical and computation models are explored to establish the relationship between operating input-variables and power output. The present review discusses about the complexity of system, modeling strategies used and reality of such modeling for scaling-up applications of MFCs. Additionally, the selection of an appropriate mathematical model reduces the computational duration and provides better understanding of the system process. It also explores the possibility and progress towards commercialization of MFCs and thus the need of development of model-based optimization and process-control approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipak A Jadhav
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Aurangabad, Maharashtra 431010, India.
| | - Alessandro A Carmona-Martínez
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, Valladolid University, Dr. Mergelina, s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina, s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Ashvini D Chendake
- Shiv Shankar College of Agricultural Engineering, Mirajgaon, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra 414401, India
| | - Soumya Pandit
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida 201306, India
| | - Deepak Pant
- Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
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Methanogenesis inhibitors used in bio-electrochemical systems: A review revealing reality to decide future direction and applications. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 319:124141. [PMID: 32977094 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a robust technology capable of treating real wastewaters by utilizing mixed anaerobic microbiota as inoculum for producing electricity from oxidation of the biodegradable matters. However, these mixed microbiota comprises of both electroactive microorganisms (EAM) and substrate/electron scavenging microorganisms such as methanogens. Hence, in order to maximize bioelectricity from MFC, different physio-chemical techniques have been applied in past investigations to suppress activity of methanogens. Interestingly, recent investigations exhibit that methanogens can produce electricity in MFC and possess the cellular machinery like cytochrome c and Type IV pili to perform extracellular electron transfer (EET) in the presence of suitable electron acceptors. Hence, in this review, in-depth analysis of versatile behaviour of methanogens in both MFC and natural anaerobic conditions with different inhibition techniques is explored. This review also discusses the future research directions based on the latest scientific evidence on role of methanogens for EET in MFC.
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Fan L, Shi J, Xi Y. PVDF-Modified Nafion Membrane for Improved Performance of MFC. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:E185. [PMID: 32823791 PMCID: PMC7463434 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10080185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Low power production and unstable power supply are important bottlenecks restricting the application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). It is necessary to explore effective methods to improve MFC performance. By using molasses wastewater as fuel, carbon felt as an electrode, and the mixture of K3[Fe(CN)6] and NaCl as a catholyte, an MFC experimental system was set up to study the performance of MFCs with three different proton exchange membranes. A Nafion membrane was used as the basic material, and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and acetone-modified PVDF were used to modify it, respectively. The experimental results show that a PVDF-modified membrane can improve the water absorption effectively and, thus, make the MFC have greater power generation and better wastewater treatment effect. The acetone-modified PVDF can further improve the stability of output power of the MFC. When the acetone-modified PVDF was used to modify the Nafion membrane, the steady output voltage of the MFC was above 0.21 V, and the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal rate for molasses wastewater was about 66.7%, which were 96.3% and 75.1% higher than that of the MFC with the ordinary Nafion membrane. Membrane modification with acetone-modified PVDF can not only increase the output voltage of the MFC but also improve the stability of its output electrical energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Fan
- College of Information Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang 110142, China
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang 110142, China; (J.S.); (Y.X.)
| | - Junyi Shi
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang 110142, China; (J.S.); (Y.X.)
| | - Yaobin Xi
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang 110142, China; (J.S.); (Y.X.)
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Single- and Multi-Objective Optimization of a Dual-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell Operating in Continuous-Flow Mode at Steady State. Processes (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/pr8070839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology for bioenergy generation and wastewater treatment. Various parameters affect the performance of dual-chamber MFCs, such as substrate flow rate and concentration. Performance can be assessed by power density ( PD ), current density ( CD ) production, or substrate removal efficiency ( SRE ). In this study, a mathematical model-based optimization was used to optimize the performance of an MFC using single- and multi-objective optimization (MOO) methods. Matlab’s fmincon and fminimax functions were used to solve the nonlinear constrained equations for the single- and multi-objective optimization, respectively. The fminimax method minimizes the worst-case of the two conflicting objective functions. The single-objective optimization revealed that the maximum PD , CD , and SRE were 2.04 W/m2, 11.08 A/m2, and 73.6%, respectively. The substrate concentration and flow rate significantly impacted the performance of the MFC. Pareto-optimal solutions were generated using the weighted sum method for maximizing the two conflicting objectives of PD and CD in addition to PD and SRE simultaneously. The fminimax method for maximizing PD and CD showed that the compromise solution was to operate the MFC at maximum PD conditions. The model-based optimization proved to be a fast and low-cost optimization method for MFCs and it provided a better understanding of the factors affecting an MFC’s performance. The MOO provided Pareto-optimal solutions with multiple choices for practical applications depending on the purpose of using the MFCs.
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11
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Investigating microbial fuel cell aided bio-remediation of mixed phenolic contaminants under oxic and anoxic environments. Biochem Eng J 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2019.107485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Khan N, Anwer AH, Ahmad A, Sabir S, Sevda S, Khan MZ. Investigation of CNT/PPy-Modified Carbon Paper Electrodes under Anaerobic and Aerobic Conditions for Phenol Bioremediation in Microbial Fuel Cells. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:471-480. [PMID: 31956793 PMCID: PMC6964299 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The study presents the comparative bioelectrochemical treatment of phenol in anodic and cathodic compartments of four identical dual chambered microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with bare and multiwalled carbon nanotube/polypyrrole (MWCNT/PPy)-coated electrodes, respectively. It was observed that systems performing biocathodic treatment of phenol performed better as compared to the systems performing bioanodic treatment. The maximum power densities for bioanodic phenol treatment using bare and coated electrodes were found to be 469.038 and 560.719 mW/m2, while for biocathodic treatment, they were observed to be 604.804 and 650.557 mW/m2, respectively. The MFCs performing biocathodic treatment of phenol consistently showed higher chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency, Coulombic efficiency, and power density and indicated the better performance of the biocathodic bare (B-MFC) and coated (C-MFC) MFCs as compared to the bioanodic B-MFC and C-MFC. UV/vis spectrophotometry revealed that the MWCNT/PPy-coated carbon paper worked significantly better in the treatment of phenol with admirable treatment obtained within a week of the experiment as compared to the system with bare carbon paper. Cyclic voltammetry asserted better electrochemical activity of the MFC systems with coated electrodes in the treatment of phenol. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data also supported the better performance of biocathodic phenol treatment with lower internal and charge transfer resistances. The scanning electron microscopy images confirmed the active biofilm formation on the electrode surface. The study indicates MFC as a viable option for the treatment of recalcitrant chemical compounds with energy recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishat Khan
- Environmental
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Abdul Hakeem Anwer
- Environmental
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anees Ahmad
- Environmental
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Suhail Sabir
- Environmental
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Surajbhan Sevda
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Mohammad Zain Khan
- Environmental
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Improvement of Microbial Electrolysis Cell Activity by Using Anode Based on Combined Plasma-Pretreated Carbon Cloth and Stainless Steel. ENERGIES 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/en12101968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The anode activity in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) is known to be a limiting factor in hydrogen production. In this study, the MEC was constructed using different anode materials and a platinum-coated carbon-cloth cathode (CC). The anodes were comprised of CC, stainless steel (SS), and a combination of the two (COMB). The CC and SS anodes were also treated with plasma to improve their surface morphology and hydrophilic properties (CCP and SSP, respectively). A combined version of CCP attached to SS was also applied (COMBP). After construction of the MEC using the different anodes, we conducted electrochemical measurements and examination of biofilm viability. Under an applied voltage of 0.6 V (Ag/AgCl), the currents of a MEC based on CCP and COMBP were 11.66 ± 0.1331 and 16.36 ± 0.3172 A m−2, respectively, which are about three times higher compared to the untreated CC and COMB. A MEC utilizing an untreated SS anode exhibited current of only 0.3712 ± 0.0108 A m−2. The highest biofilm viability of 0.92 OD540 ± 0.07 and hydrogen production rate of 0.0736 ± 0.0022 m3 d−1 m−2 at 0.8 V were obtained in MECs based on the COMBP anode. To our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluated the effect of plasma-treated anodes and the use of a combined anode composed of SS and CC for hydrogen evolution in a MEC.
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