Bio-electro-Fenton process driven by microbial fuel cell for wastewater treatment.
In this study, we proposed a new concept of utilizing the biological electrons produced from a microbial fuel cell (MFC) to power an E-Fenton process to treat wastewater at neutral pH as a bioelectro-Fenton (Bio-E-Fenton) process. This process can be achieved in a dual-chamber MFC from which electrons were generated via the catalyzation of Shewanella decolorationis S12 in its anaerobic anode chamber and transferred to its aerated cathode chamber equipped with a carbon nanotube (CNT)/gamma-FeOOH composite cathode. In the cathode chamber, the Fenton's reagents including hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and ferrous irons (Fe(2+)) were in situ generated. This Bio-E-Fenton process led to the complete decolorization and mineralization of Orange II at pH 7.0 with the apparent first-order rate constants, k(app) = 0.212 h(-1) and k(TOC) = 0.0827 h(-1), respectively, and simultaneously produced a maximum power output of 230 mW m(-2) (normalized to the cathode surface area). The apparent mineralization current efficiency was calculated to be as high as 89%. The cathode composition was an important factor in governing system performance. When the ratio of CNT to gamma-FeOOH in the composite cathode was 1:1, the system demonstrated the fastest rate of Orange II degradation, corresponding to the highest amount of H(2)O(2) formed.
Feng
Chun-Hua
CH
The Key Lab of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China.
Li
Fang-Bai
FB
Mai
Hong-Jian
HJ
Li
Xiang-Zhong
XZ
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000032:analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007501:Iron; D007700:Kinetics; D043942:Nanotubes; D020592:Shewanella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
C045076:Fenton's reagent; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007501:Iron