title: Autotrophic denitrification in microbial fuel cells treating low ionic strength waters.
abstract: The presence of elevated concentrations of nitrates in drinking water has become a serious concern worldwide. The use of autotrophic denitrification in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for waters with low ionic strengths (i.e., 1000 μS·cm(-1)) has not been considered previously. This study evaluated the feasibility of MFC technology for water denitification and also identified and quantified potential energy losses that result from their usage. The low conductivity (<1600 μS·cm(-1)) of water limited the nitrogen removal efficiency and power production of MFCs and led to the incomplete reduction of nitrate and the nitrous oxide (N(2)O) production (between 4 and 20% of nitrogen removed). Cathodic overpotential was identified as the main energy loss factors (83-90% of total losses). That high overpotential was influenced by denitrification intermediates (NO(2)(-) and N(2)O) and the potential used by microorganisms for growth, activation, and maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (LEQUiA), Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi s/n, Facultat de Ciències, E-17071 Girona, Spain. sebastia@lequia.udg.cat
authors.forename: Sebastià
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coma
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desloover
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colprim
authors.forename: M Dolors
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Balaguer
mesh_terms: D052818:Autotrophic Processes; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D058440:Denitrification; D017672:Nitrogen Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D017672:Nitrogen Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical