Enhanced performance of novel carbon nanotubes - sulfonated poly ether ether ketone (speek) composite proton exchange membrane in mfc application

Engineered nanomaterials for carbon capture and bioenergy production in microbial electrochemical technologies: A review

The mounting threat of global warming, fuelled by industrialization and anthropogenic activities, is undeniable. In 2017, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary greenhouse gas, exceeded 410 ppm for the first time. Shockingly, on April 28, 2023, this figure surged even higher, reaching an alarming 425 ppm. Even though extensive research has been conducted on developing efficient carbon capture and storage technologies, most suffer from high costs, short lifespans, and significant environmental impacts. Recently, the use of engineered nanomaterials (ENM), particularly in microbial electrochemical technologies (METs), has gained momentum owing to their appropriate physicochemical properties and catalytic activity. By implementing ENM, the MET variants like microbial electrosynthesis (MES) and photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (pMFC) can enhance carbon capture efficiency with simultaneous bioenergy production and wastewater treatment. This review provides an overview of ENMs' role in carbon capture within MES and pMFC, highlighting advancements and charting future research directions.

General aspects and novel PEMss in microbial fuel cell technology: A review

The current scenario of energy production is mostly shifted towards sustainable renewable energy sources. Other than the energy production from natural resources such as sun, wind and water, microbial fuel cell system (MFC) has earned attraction in recent times. These microbial fuel cell systems are bioelectrochemical cell that possesses a unique ability to generate power as well as treats wastewater simultaneously. In this paper, an overview of the microbial fuel cell system and the effect of significant components on the performance of microbial fuel cell systems are reviewed. Firstly, the importance of the MFC system in power generation, its components, the working principle and various configurations of the MFC were briefly introduced. Biofilm plays a major role in the MFC system. Thus the importance of bio film, bio film formation and characterization techniques are summarised. Further, the review mainly addresses the mechanism of conventional and novel membrane materials on the performance of the MFC system. In addition, special emphasis on ceramic-based materials in the MFC system is presented. Finally, recent applications of the MFC systems are discussed.

Applications of submerged and staged membrane systems for pollutant removal from effluents and mechanism studies - a review

Membrane based filtration is one of the promising technologies for rehabilitation of wastewater streams for reuse and recycle. Many advancements have emerged with the use of novel materials and innovative integrated technologies. The present investigation focuses on the treatment methods based on submerged and stages systems of membranes for water purification. Ceramic, polymeric and mixed matrix type of membranes fabricated for specific type of effluents, their modification methods for accelerating the rejection efficiency, permeability, durability, stability and antifouling properties are detailed in this review. Graphene oxide is the most considered membrane material for adsorption purposes as it exhibits larger surface area, abundant functional groups contain oxygen and has good supply of ligands which is responsible in metal adsorption as it enhances electrostatic interaction by bonding metal ions with graphene oxide nanosheets. Energy derivation in terms of biogas production was also reported in some integrated methods. In many cases, embedded nanomaterial matrices yielded maximum efficiencies in both the submerged and staged operations. However, submerged type of membranes are reported more than the staged type due to simpler configuration with relatively lesser equipment, operational and maintenance issues. In treatment of a low strength wastewater, aluminum oxide based membrane in fluidized bed assembly was reported to yield promising results with reduced power requirement.

Recovery of Nutrients from Residual Streams Using Ion-Exchange Membranes: Current State, Bottlenecks, Fundamentals and Innovations

The review describes the place of membrane methods in solving the problem of the recovery and re-use of biogenic elements (nutrients), primarily trivalent nitrogen N^III and pentavalent phosphorus P^V, to provide the sustainable development of mankind. Methods for the recovery of NH₄⁺ − NH₃ and phosphates from natural sources and waste products of humans and animals, as well as industrial streams, are classified. Particular attention is paid to the possibilities of using membrane processes for the transition to a circular economy in the field of nutrients. The possibilities of different methods, already developed or under development, are evaluated, primarily those that use ion-exchange membranes. Electromembrane methods take a special place including capacitive deionization and electrodialysis applied for recovery, separation, concentration, and reagent-free pH shift of solutions. This review is distinguished by the fact that it summarizes not only the successes, but also the “bottlenecks” of ion-exchange membrane-based processes. Modern views on the mechanisms of NH₄⁺ − NH₃ and phosphate transport in ion-exchange membranes in the presence and in the absence of an electric field are discussed. The innovations to enhance the performance of electromembrane separation processes for phosphate and ammonium recovery are considered.