A microbial fuel cell equipped with a biocathode for organic removal and denitrification.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising anaerobic technology but they are limited by the high cost of the catalyst used at the cathode (typically platinum). In this study, we designed a novel type of two-chambered MFC wherein an autoheterotrophic denitrifying biofilm replaced the costly catalyst on the cathode surface. Micro-organisms performed denitrification by using electrons supplied by bacteria oxidizing domestic wastewater and acetate as substrates in the anode chamber. This two-chambered MFC equipped with a biocathode generated during more than 1.5 month up to 9.4 mW m(-2) of anode surface or 0.19 W m(-3) of anode chamber volume, while removing over 65% of COD, 84% of total nitrogen and nearly 30% of suspended solids with domestic wastewater as a substrate, and nearly 95% of acetate in the subsequent experiments.
Lefebvre
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O
Centre for Water Research, Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. eselop@nus.edu.sg
Al-Mamun
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A
Ng
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HY
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D019149:Bioreactors; D004566:Electrodes; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
D009573:Nitrites; D009930:Organic Chemicals