DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Nitrogen removal and electrochemical characteristics depending on separators of two-chamber microbial fuel cells

  • Lee, Kang-yu (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kongju National University) ;
  • Choi, In-kwon (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kongju National University) ;
  • Lim, Kyeong-ho (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kongju National University)
  • Received : 2018.06.21
  • Accepted : 2018.10.30
  • Published : 2019.09.30

Abstract

The present study was conducted to compare the voltage generation in two-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with a biocathode where nitrate and oxygen are used as a terminal electron acceptors (TEA) and to investigate the nitrogen removal and the electrochemical characteristics depending on the separators of the MFCs for denitrification. The maximum power density in a biocathode MFC using an anion exchange membrane (AEM) was approximately 40% lower with the use of nitrate as a TEA than when using oxygen. The MFC for denitrification using an AEM allows acetate ($CH_3COO^-$) as a substrate and nitrate ($NO_3{^-}$) as a TEA to be transported to the opposite sides of the chamber through the AEM. Therefore, heterotrophic denitrification and electrochemical denitrification occurred simultaneously at the anode and the cathode, resulting in a higher COD and nitrate removal rate and a lower maximum power density. The MFC for the denitrification using a cation exchange membrane (CEM) does not allow the transport of acetate and nitrate. Therefore, as oxidation of organics and electrochemical denitrification occurred at the anode and at the cathode, respectively, the MFC using a CEM showed a higher coulomb efficiency, a lower COD and nitrate removal rate in comparison with the MFC using an AEM.

Keywords

References

  1. You S, Zhao Q, Zhang J, Jiang J, Zhao S. A microbial fuel cell using permanganate as the cathodic electron acceptor. J. Power Sources 2006;162:1409-1415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2006.07.063
  2. Kim IS, Chae KJ, Choi MJ, Verstraete W. Microbial fuel cell: Recent advances, bacterial communities and application beyond electricity generation. Environ. Eng. Res. 2008;13:51-65. https://doi.org/10.4491/eer.2008.13.2.051
  3. Eaktasang N, Kang CS, Ryu SJ, Suma Y, Kim HS. Enhanced current production by electroactive biofilm of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the microbial fuel cell. Environ. Eng. Res. 2013;18:277-281. https://doi.org/10.4491/eer.2013.18.4.277
  4. Raghavulu SV, Mohan V, Goud RK, Sarma PN. Effect of anodic pH microenvironment on microbial fuel cell performance in concurrence with aerated and ferricyanide catholytes. Electrochem. Commun. 2009;11:371-375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2008.11.038
  5. Logan BE. Exoelectrogenic bacteria that power microbial fuel cells. Nature 2009;7:375-381.
  6. Clauwaert P, Rabaey K, Aelterman P, et al. Biological denitrification in microbial fuel cells. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2007;41:3354-3360. https://doi.org/10.1021/es062580r
  7. Gregory KB, Bond DR, Lovely DR. Graphite electrode as electron donors for anaerobic respiration. Environ. Microbiol. 2006;6:596-604. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00593.x
  8. Virdis B, Rabaey K, Yuan Z, Keller J. Microbial fuel cells for simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal. Water Res. 2008;42:3013-3024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2008.03.017
  9. Virdis B, Rabaey K, Rozendal RA, Yuan Z, Keller J. Simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and carbon removal in microbial fuel cells. Water Res. 2010;44:2970-2980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2010.02.022
  10. Zhang F, He Z. Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification and denitrification with electricity generation in dual-cathode microbial fuel cells. J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 2012a;87:153-159. https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.2700
  11. Zhang F, He Z. Integrated organic and nitrogen removal with electricity generation in a tubular dual-cathode microbial fuel cell. Process. Biochem. 2012b;47:2146-2151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2012.08.002
  12. Song YC, Woo JH, Yoo KS. Materials for microbial fuel cell: Electrodes, separator and current collector. J. Korean. Soc. Environ. Eng. 2009;31:693-704.
  13. Kim BH, Chang IS, Gadd GM. Challenges in microbial fuel cell development and operation. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2007;76:485-494. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-1027-4
  14. Logan BE, Hamelers B, Rozendal R, et al. Microbial fuel cells: Methodology and technology. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2006;40:5181-5192. https://doi.org/10.1021/es0605016
  15. Liu H, Cheng S, Logan BE. Production of electricity from acetate or butyrate using a single-chamber microbial fuel cell. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2005;39:658-662. https://doi.org/10.1021/es048927c
  16. Park HS, Kim BH, Kim HS, et al. A novel electrochemically active and Fe(III)-reducing bacterium phylogenetically related to Clostridium butyricum isolated from a microbial fuel cell. Anaerobe 2001;7:297-306. https://doi.org/10.1006/anae.2001.0399
  17. Virdis B, Rabaey K, Rozendal RA, Yuan Z, Keller J. Simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and carbon removal in microbial fuel cells. Water Res. 2010;44:2970-2980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2010.02.022
  18. Rabaey K, Read ST, Clauwaert P, et al. Cathodic oxygen reduction catalyzed by bacteria in microbial fuel cells. ISME J. 2008;2:519-527. https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2008.1
  19. Zhang G, Zhao Q, Jiao Y, Wang K, Lee DJ, Ren N. Biocathode microbial fuel cell for efficient electricity recovery from dairy manure. Biosens. Bioelectron. 2012;31:537-543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2011.11.036
  20. Chen GW, Choi SJ, Lee TH, Lee GY, Cha JH, Kim CW. Application of biocathode in microbial fuel cells: Cell performance and microbial community. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2008;79:379-388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-008-1451-0
  21. Zhou M, Fu W, Gu H, Lei L. Nitrate removal from groundwater by a novel three-dimensional electrode biofilm reactor. Electrochim. Acta 2007;52:6052-6059. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2007.03.064

Cited by

  1. 하폐수처리에서 질소 제거를 위한 미생물 전기화학 기술의 동향 vol.34, pp.5, 2019, https://doi.org/10.11001/jksww.2020.34.5.345