title: Biodegradation of phenol in batch and continuous flow microbial fuel cells with rod and granular graphite electrodes.
abstract: Phenol biodegradation was evaluated in batch and continuous flow microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In batch-operated MFCs, biodegradation of 100-1000 mg L-1phenol was four to six times faster when graphite granules were used instead of rods (3.5-4.8 mg L-1h-1vs 0.5-0.9 mg L-1h-1). Similarly maximum phenol biodegradation rates in continuous MFCs with granular and single-rod electrodes were 11.5 and 0.8 mg L-1h-1, respectively. This superior performance was also evident in terms of electrochemical outputs, whereby continuous flow MFCs with granular graphite electrodes achieved maximum current and power densities (3444.4 mA m-3and 777.8 mW m-3) that were markedly higher than those with single-rod electrodes (37.3 mA m-3and 0.8 mW m-3). Addition of neutral red enhanced the electrochemical outputs to 5714.3 mA m-3and 1428.6 mW m-3. Using the data generated in the continuous flow MFC, biokinetic parameters including μm, KS, Y and Kewere determined as 0.03 h-1, 24.2 mg L-1, 0.25 mg cell (mg phenol)-1and 3.7 × 10-4h-1, respectively. Access to detailed kinetic information generated in MFC environmental conditions is critical in the design, operation and control of large-scale treatment systems utilizing MFC technology.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering , University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon , Canada.
authors.forename: Lyman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering , University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon , Canada.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nemati
authors.affiliation: b Prairie Swine Centre Inc. , Saskatoon , Canada.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Predicala
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D019800:Phenol / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D019800:Phenol; D006108:Graphite
keywords: Renewable energy; continuous flow microbial fuel cell; granular graphite; kinetics; phenol biodegradation