title: Multi-population model of a microbial electrolysis cell.
abstract: This work presents a multi-population dynamic model of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). The model describes the growth and metabolic activity of fermentative, electricigenic, methanogenic acetoclastic, and methanogenic hydrogenophilic microorganisms and is capable of simulating hydrogen production in a MEC fed with complex organic matter, such as wastewater. The model parameters were estimated with the experimental results obtained in continuous flow MECs fed with acetate or synthetic wastewater. Following successful model validation with an independent data set, the model was used to analyze and discuss the influence of applied voltage and organic load on hydrogen production and COD removal.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escapa
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tartakovsky
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D004572:Electrolysis; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
chemical_list: D006859:Hydrogen