title: Coupling bioelectricity generation and oil sands tailings treatment using microbial fuel cells.
abstract: In this study, four dual-chambered microbial fuel cells (MFC1-4) were constructed and filled with different ratios of mature fine tailings and oil sands process-affected water to test the feasibility of MFCs to simultaneously generate electricity and treat oil sands tailings. After 800 h of operation, the maximum voltage was observed in MFC4 at 0.726 V with 1.2kΩ external resistance loaded. The maximum power density reached 392 ± 15 mW/m(2) during the 1,700 h of MFC4 operation. With continuous electricity generation, MFC4 removed 27.8% of the total COD, 81.8% of the soluble COD and 32.9% of the total acid extractable organics. Moreover, effective removal of eight heavy metals, includes 97.8% of (78)Se, 96.8% of Ba, 94.7% of (88)Sr, 81.3% for (66)Zn, 77.1% of (95)Mo, 66.9% of (63)Cu, 44.9% of (53)Cr and 32.5% of Pb, was achieved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Yaxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ania C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology; D018441:Biofilms; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D004560:Electricity; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009821:Oils; D014866:Waste Products; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012822:Silicon Dioxide