title: Effects of sediment pretreatment on the performance of sediment microbial fuel cells.
abstract: In the present study, the effects of different pretreatment methods for sediments on the performance of sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) were evaluated. Autoclaved (30 and 60 min), and heated (150 °C, 3 h) sediments demonstrated high power density, compared with control and heated (60 °C, 3 h) sediments. An SMFC with heated (60 °C, 3 h) sediment was found to easily form a biocathode. The power density of an SMFC with heated (150 °C, 3 h) sediment was 214 mW m(-2) on day 24. Furthermore, autoclaved (30 and 60 min) and heated (3 h, 60 and 150 °C) sediments accelerated the production of dissolved organic matter (DOM). The DOM in heated (60 °C, 3 h) sediments had larger molecular sizes. The present study demonstrates that SMFCs can have high power density and high loss on ignition removal efficiencies when produced from sediments by suitable pretreatment methods.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China.
authors.forename: Tian-Shun
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: He-Long
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D013696:Temperature