title: Effect of gradual transition of substrate on performance of flat-panel air-cathode microbial fuel cells to treat domestic wastewater.
abstract: In order to confirm the effects of the low conductivity and biodegradability of wastewater, flat-panel air-cathode microbial fuel cells (FA-MFCs) were operated by supplying substrates with different volume ratios of domestic wastewater mixed with an artificial medium: the artificial medium only, 25% wastewater, 50% wastewater, 75% wastewater, 100% of wastewater with 500mg-COD/L by adding acetate, and raw domestic wastewater (230mg-COD/L). With the increase of wastewater ratio, the maximum power density and organic removal efficiency decreased from 187 to 60W/m3and 51.5 to 37.4%, respectively, but the Coulombic efficiency was maintained in the range of 18.0-18.9%. The FA-MFCs could maintain their low internal resistances and overcome the decreasing conductivity. The acetate concentration was more important than the total organics for power production. This study suggests that the FA-MFC configuration has great applicability for practical applications when supplied by domestic wastewater with low conductivity and biodegradability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Younghyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seonghwan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Van Khanh
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Rae
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: The MFC Research and Business Development (R&BD) Center, K-water Institute, Jeonmin-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-730, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Suck
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: The MFC Research and Business Development (R&BD) Center, K-water Institute, Jeonmin-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-730, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Goon
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jaecheul
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: leeth55@pusan.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Taeho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000032:analysis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D019149:Bioreactors; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D012722:Sewage; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Acetate; Conductivity; Domestic wastewater; Flat-panel microbial fuel cell; Substrate transition