Bimodal electricity generation and aromatic compounds removal from purified terephthalic acid plant wastewater in a microbial fuel cell.
Wastewater of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) from a petrochemical plant was examined in a membrane-less single chamber microbial fuel cell for the first time. Time course of voltage during the cell operation cycle had two steady phases, which refers to the fact that metabolism of microorganisms was shifted from highly to less biodegradable carbon sources. The produced power density was 31.8 mW m(-2) (normalized per cathode area) and the calculated coulombic efficiency was 2.05 % for a COD removal of 74 % during 21 days. The total removal rate of different pollutants in the PTA wastewater was observed in the following order: (acetic acid) > (benzoic acid) > (phthalic acid) > (terephthalic acid) > (p-toluic acid). The cyclic voltammetry results revealed that the electron transfer mechanism was dominated by mediators which were produced by bacteria.
Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Ave, Tehran, Iran. kamranmarashi@yahoo.com
Seyed Kamran Foad
SK
Marashi
Hamid-Reza
HR
Kariminia
Iman Shahidi Pour
IS
Savizi
D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D004560:Electricity; D006844:Hydrocarbons, Cyclic / Q000378:metabolism*; D007220:Industrial Waste; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
D002244:Carbon; D006844:Hydrocarbons, Cyclic; D007220:Industrial Waste; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical