title: Increased power generation from primary sludge in microbial fuel cells coupled with prefermentation.
abstract: Raw primary sludge and the prefermentation liquor (PL) of primary sludge were used to generate electricity in single-chambered air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The MFCs treating the primary sludge produced 0.53 V and 370 mW/m(2) for the maximum potential and power density, respectively. In the primary sludge-fed MFCs, only 5 % of the total energy production was produced from direct electricity generation, whereas 95 % of that resulted from the conversion of methane to electricity. MFCs treating the PL generated the maximum potential of 0.58 V and maximum power density of 885 mW/m(2), respectively. In the energy production analysis, direct electricity production (1,921 Wh/kg TCODrem) in the MFCs treating the PL was much higher than that of the primary sludge-fed MFC (138 Wh/kg TCODrem). Volatile suspended solids during 10 days were reduced to 18.3 and 38 % in the primary sludge-fed MFCs and prefermentation reactor, respectively. These findings suggest that a two-stage process including prefermentation and MFCs is of great benefit on sludge reduction and higher electricity generation from primary sludge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyungsan, 712-749, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jeongdong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Youngho
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ahn
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004560:Electricity; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D004566:Electrodes; D004583:Electrons; D005285:Fermentation; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D062065:Wastewater; D018508:Water Purification
chemical_list: D006859:Hydrogen; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010100:Oxygen; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater