title: Efficient electricity generation from sewage sludge using biocathode microbial fuel cell.
abstract: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with abiotic cathodes require expensive catalyst (such as Pt) or catholyte (such as hexacynoferrate) to facilitate oxidation reactions. This study incorporated biocathodes into a three-chamber MFC to yield electricity from sewage sludge at maximum power output of 13.2 ± 1.7 W/m(3) during polarization, much higher than those previously reported. After 15 d operation, the total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) removal and coulombic efficiency (CE) of cell reached 40.8 ± 9.0% and 19.4 ± 4.3%, respectively. The anolyte comprised principally acetate and propionate (minor) as metabolites. The use of biocathodes produced an internal resistance of 36-46 Ω, lower than those reported in literature works, hence yielding higher maximum power density from MFC. The massively parallel sequencing technology, 454 pyrosequencing technique, was adopted to probe microbial community on anode biofilm, with dominant phyla belonging to Proteobacteria (45% of total bacteria), Bacteroidetes (19%), Uncultured bacteria (9%), Actinobacteria (7%), Firmicutes (7%), Chloroflex (7%). At genera level, Rhodoferax, Ferruginibacter, Propionibacterium, Rhodopseudomonas, Ferribacterium, Clostridium, Chlorobaculum, Rhodobacter, Bradyrhizobium were the abundant taxa (relative abundances>2.0%).
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environments (SKLUWRE), School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
authors.forename: Guodong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qingliang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Duu-Jong
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nanqi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D018441:Biofilms; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis; D010802:Phylogeny; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012722:Sewage; D009584:Nitrogen