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Han C, You J, Zhao A, Liao K, Ren H, Hu H. Intermittent polarization: A promising strategy for microbial electricity driven reduction of DOM toxicity in actual industrial wastewater. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 262:122099. [PMID: 39024670 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in actual industrial wastewater comprises various compounds that trigger toxicity in aquatic organisms; thus, advanced treatment for reducing DOM toxicity is urgently needed to ensure safe effluent discharge. Herein, we successfully reduced the toxicity of DOM in actual industrial wastewater without external chemical addition by applying intermittent polarization to electrochemical bioreactors. The bioreactor operated under intermittent polarization effectively reduced the toxicity of DOM by 76.7 %, resulting in the toxicity of effluent DOM (determined by malformation rate of zebrafish larvae) reaching less than 3.5 %. Notably, DOM compounds with high double-bond equivalence (DBE ≥ 8) were identified as the key components responsible for the toxicity of DOM through ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry analysis. Insight into microbe-DOM interactions revealed that intermittent polarization promoted the microbial consumption of high-DBE components of DOM by both affecting microbial composition (β = -0.5421, p < 0.01) and function (β = -0.4831, p < 0.01), thus regulating effluent DOM toxicity. The study findings demonstrate that intermittent polarization is a promising strategy for microbial electricity-driven reduction of DOM toxicity in actual industrial wastewater to meet the increasing safety requirements of receiving waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglong Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jiaqian You
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Aixia Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Kewei Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Hongqiang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Haidong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
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Ho QN, Mitsuoka K, Yoshida N. Microbial fuel cell in long-term operation and providing electricity for intermittent aeration to remove contaminants from sewage. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 259:119503. [PMID: 38972342 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) show promise in sewage treatment because they can directly convert organic matter (OM) into electricity. This study aimed to demonstrate MFCs stability over 750 days of operation and efficient removal of OM and nitrogenous compounds from sewage. To enhance contaminant removal, oxygen was provided into the anode chamber via a mini air pump. This pump was powered by the MFCs' output voltage, which was boosted using a DC-DC converter. The experimental system consisted of 12 sets of cylindrical MFCs within a 246L-scale reactor. The boosted voltage reached 4.7 V. This voltage was first collected in capacitors every 5 min and then dispensed intermittently to the air pump for the MFCs reactor in 4 s. This corresponds to receiving average DO concentration reaching 0.34 ± 0.44 mg/L at 10 cm above the air-stone. Consequently, the degradation rate constants (k) for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the presence of oxygen were 0.048 and 0.069, respectively, which surpassed those without oxygen by 0.039 and 0.044, respectively. Aeration also marginally improved the removal of ammonia because of its potential to create a favorable environment for the growth of anammox and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria such as Candidatus brocadia and Nitrospira. The findings of this study offer in-depth insight into the benefits of boosted voltage in MFCs, highlighting its potential to enhance contaminant degradation. This serves as a foundation for future research focused on improving MFCs performance, particularly for the removal of contaminants from wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Que Nguyen Ho
- Department of Civil Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech), Nagoya 466-8555, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kyosuke Mitsuoka
- Department of Civil Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech), Nagoya 466-8555, Aichi, Japan
| | - Naoko Yoshida
- Department of Civil Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech), Nagoya 466-8555, Aichi, Japan.
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3
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Li C, Liang D, Tian Y, Liu S, He W, Li Z, Yadav RS, Ma Y, Ji C, Yi K, Yang W, Feng Y. Sorting Out the Latest Advances in Separators and Pilot-Scale Microbial Electrochemical Systems for Wastewater Treatment: Concomitant Development, Practical Application, and Future Perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:9471-9486. [PMID: 38776077 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c03169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
To date, dozens of pilot-scale microbial fuel cell (MFC) devices have been successfully developed worldwide for treating various types of wastewater. The availability and configurations of separators are determining factors for the economic feasibility, efficiency, sustainability, and operability of these devices. Thus, the concomitant advances between the separators and pilot-scale MFC configurations deserve further clarification. The analysis of separator configurations has shown that their evolution proceeds as follows: from ion-selective to ion-non-selective, from nonpermeable to permeable, and from abiotic to biotic. Meanwhile, their cost is decreasing and their availability is increasing. Notably, the novel MFCs configured with biotic separators are superior to those configured with abiotic separators in terms of wastewater treatment efficiency and capital cost. Herein, a highly comprehensive review of pilot-scale MFCs (>100 L) has been conducted, and we conclude that the intensive stack of the liquid cathode configuration is more advantageous when wastewater treatment is the highest priority. The use of permeable biotic separators ensures hydrodynamic continuity within the MFCs and simplifies reactor configuration and operation. In addition, a systemic comparison is conducted between pilot-scale MFC devices and conventional decentralized wastewater treatment processes. MFCs showed comparable cost, higher efficiency, long-term stability, and significant superiority in carbon emission reduction. The development of separators has greatly contributed to the availability and usability of MFCs, which will play an important role in various wastewater treatment scenarios in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Dandan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Yan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Shujuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Weihua He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Zeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Ravi Shankar Yadav
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Yamei Ma
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Chengcheng Ji
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Kexin Yi
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Wulin Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
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Abate R, Oon YS, Oon YL, Bi Y. Microalgae-bacteria nexus for environmental remediation and renewable energy resources: Advances, mechanisms and biotechnological applications. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31170. [PMID: 38813150 PMCID: PMC11133723 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Microalgae and bacteria, known for their resilience, rapid growth, and proximate ecological partnerships, play fundamental roles in environmental and biotechnological advancements. This comprehensive review explores the synergistic interactions between microalgae and bacteria as an innovative approach to address some of the most pressing environmental issues and the demands of clean and renewable freshwater and energy sources. Studies indicated that microalgae-bacteria consortia can considerably enhance the output of biotechnological applications; for instance, various reports showed during wastewater treatment the COD removal efficiency increased by 40%-90.5 % due to microalgae-bacteria consortia, suggesting its great potential amenability in biotechnology. This review critically synthesizes research works on the microalgae and bacteria nexus applied in the advancements of renewable energy generation, with a special focus on biohydrogen, reclamation of wastewater and desalination processes. The mechanisms of underlying interactions, the environmental factors influencing consortia performance, and the challenges and benefits of employing these bio-complexes over traditional methods are also discussed in detail. This paper also evaluates the biotechnological applications of these microorganism consortia for the augmentation of biomass production and the synthesis of valuable biochemicals. Furthermore, the review sheds light on the integration of microalgae-bacteria systems in microbial fuel cells for concurrent energy production, waste treatment, and resource recovery. This review postulates microalgae-bacteria consortia as a sustainable and efficient solution for clean water and energy, providing insights into future research directions and the potential for industrial-scale applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rediat Abate
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yoong-Sin Oon
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Yoong-Ling Oon
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Yonghong Bi
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
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Venkatesh SS, Vellaichamy P, Thirumalachari S, Ramalingam V, Doraiswamy Raju M. Experimental investigation and comparison of PBI/MWCNT and PSF/MWCNT membranes for recovering water from RO reject of brackish water by FO. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28455. [PMID: 38586360 PMCID: PMC10998056 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The performances of polybenzimidazole (PBI) and polysulfone (PSF) membranes for recovering water from reverse osmosis (RO) reject of brackish water through forward osmosis (FO) were assessed and compared. Non-functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were added to the membrane casting solutions, with concentrations ranging from 0 to 3 wt%. The experiment was conducted for eight samples using RO reject of brackish water as the feed solution (FS) and 2 M analytical grade MgCl2 as the draw solution (DS). The hydrophilicity, water permeability, salt rejection rate (Rs), water flux (WF) and porosity of the membranes improved with increasing MWCNT content up to 2 wt%. Also, the structural parameter, salt permeability and reverse solute flux decreased. PBI/MWCNT2 wt% exhibited the best performance among the membranes tested compared with porosity of 70 ± 4 %, structural parameter of 0.36 ± 0.2 μm, and Rs of 93.5 %. In contrast with the pristine PBI membrane, an average water flux enhancement of 15 % and 49 % was observed for the FS and DS sides, respectively, for PBI/MWCNT2 wt%. It is evident from the results that including MWCNT improves the performance of both membranes, with better relative performance for PBI membranes than PSF membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pandiyarajan Vellaichamy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, AC Tech, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sundararajan Thirumalachari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Velraj Ramalingam
- Institute for Energy Studies, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mohan Doraiswamy Raju
- Department of Chemical Engineering, AC Tech, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, Tamil Nadu, India
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6
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Fathima A, Ilankoon IMSK, Zhang Y, Chong MN. Scaling up of dual-chamber microbial electrochemical systems - An appraisal using systems design approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169186. [PMID: 38086487 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Impetus to minimise the energy and carbon footprints of evolving wastewater resource recovery facilities has promoted the development of microbial electrochemical systems (MES) as an emerging energy-neutral and sustainable platform technology. Using separators in dual-chamber MES to isolate anodic and cathodic environments creates endless opportunities for its myriad applications. Nevertheless, the high internal resistance and the complex interdependencies among various system factors have challenged its scale-up. This critical review employed a systems approach to examine the complex interdependencies and practical issues surrounding the implementation and scalability of dual-chamber MES, where the anodic and cathodic reactions are mutually appraised to improve the overall system efficiency. The robustness and stability of anodic biofilms in large-volume MES is dependent on its inoculum source, antecedent history and enrichment strategies. The composition and anode-respiring activity of these biofilms are modulated by the anolyte composition, while their performance demands a delicate balance between the electrode size, macrostructure and the availability of substrates, buffers and nutrients when using real wastewater as anolyte. Additionally, the catholyte governed the reduction environment and associated energy consumption of MES with scalable electrocatalysts needed to enhance the sluggish reaction kinetics for energy-efficient resource recovery. A comprehensive assessment of the dual-chamber reactor configuration revealed that the tubular, spiral-wound, or plug-in modular MES configurations are suitable for pilot-scale, where it could be designed more effectively using efficient electrode macrostructure, suitable membranes and bespoke strategies for continuous operation to maximise their performance. It is anticipated that the critical and analytical understanding gained through this review will support the continuous development and scaling-up of dual-chamber MES for prospective energy-neutral treatment of wastewater and simultaneous circular management of highly relevant environmental resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshia Fathima
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - I M S K Ilankoon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yifeng Zhang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Meng Nan Chong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
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7
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Zhang C, Zhao G, Jiao Y, Quan B, Lu W, Su P, Tang Y, Wang J, Wu M, Xiao N, Zhang Y, Tong J. Critical analysis on the transformation and upgrading strategy of Chinese municipal wastewater treatment plants: Towards sustainable water remediation and zero carbon emissions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165201. [PMID: 37406711 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
In the light of circular economy aspects, processing of large-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) needs reconsideration to limit the overuse of energy, implement of non-green technologies and emit abundant greenhouse gas. Along with the huge increase in the worldwide population and agro-industrial activities, global environmental organizations have issued several recent roles to boost scientific and industrial communities towards sustainable development. Over recent years, China has imposed national and regional standards to control and manage the discharged liquid and solid waste, as well as to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. The aim of this report is to analyze the current state of Chinese WWTPs routing and related issues such as climate change and air pollution. The used strategies in Chinese WWTPs and upgrading trends were critically discussed. Several points were addressed including the performance, environmental impact, and energy demand of bio-enhanced technologies, including hydrolytic acidification pretreatment, efficient (toxic) strain treatment, and anaerobic ammonia oxidation denitrification technology, as well as advanced treatment technologies composed of physical and chemical treatment technologies, biological treatment technology and combined treatment technology. Discussion and critical analysis based on the current data and national policies were provided and employed to develop the future development trend of municipal WWTPs in China from the construction of sustainable and "Zero carbon" WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhui Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Guifeng Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yanan Jiao
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Bingxu Quan
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Wenjing Lu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Peidong Su
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Yuanhui Tang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jianbing Wang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Mengmeng Wu
- Zhongguancun Summit Enviro-Protection Co., Ltd., Beijing 100081, China
| | - Nan Xiao
- Zhongguancun Summit Enviro-Protection Co., Ltd., Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yizhen Zhang
- Zhongguancun Summit Enviro-Protection Co., Ltd., Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jinghua Tong
- Zhongguancun Summit Enviro-Protection Co., Ltd., Beijing 100081, China
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Sorgato AC, Jeremias TC, Lobo FL, Lapolli FR. Microbial fuel cell: Interplay of energy production, wastewater treatment, toxicity assessment with hydraulic retention time. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116159. [PMID: 37211179 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) operation under similar conditions to conventional methods will support the use of this technology in large-scale wastewater treatment. The operation of scaled-up air-cathode MFC (2 L) fed with synthetic wastewater (similar to domestic) in a continuous flow was evaluated using three different hydraulic retention times (HRT), 12, 8, and 4 h. We found that electricity generation and wastewater treatment could be enhanced under an HRT of 12 h. Additionally, the longer HRT led to greater coulombic efficiency (5.44%) than MFC operating under 8 h and 4 h, 2.23 and 1.12%, respectively. However, due to the anaerobic condition, the MFC was unable to remove nutrients. Furthermore, an acute toxicity test with Lactuca sativa revealed that MFC could reduce wastewater toxicity. These outcomes demonstrated that scaled-up MFC could be operated as a primary effluent treatment and transform a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) into a renewable energy producer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carla Sorgato
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88.040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
| | - Thamires Custódio Jeremias
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88.040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Leite Lobo
- Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Campus Do Pici, 60.440-900, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Flávio Rubens Lapolli
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88.040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
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Salamanca M, Peña M, Hernandez A, Prádanos P, Palacio L. Forward Osmosis Application for the Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Municipal Wastewater: A Review. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:655. [PMID: 37505021 PMCID: PMC10384920 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13070655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Forward osmosis (FO) has attracted special attention in water and wastewater treatment due to its role in addressing the challenges of water scarcity and contamination. The presence of emerging contaminants in water sources raises concerns regarding their environmental and public health impacts. Conventional wastewater treatment methods cannot effectively remove these contaminants; thus, innovative approaches are required. FO membranes offer a promising solution for wastewater treatment and removal of the contaminants in wastewater. Several factors influence the performance of FO processes, including concentration polarization, membrane fouling, draw solute selection, and reverse salt flux. Therefore, understanding and optimizing these factors are crucial aspects for improving the efficiency and sustainability of the FO process. This review stresses the need for research to explore the potential and challenges of FO membranes to meet municipal wastewater treatment requirements, to optimize the process, to reduce energy consumption, and to promote scalability for potential industrial applications. In conclusion, FO shows promising performance for wastewater treatment, dealing with emerging pollutants and contributing to sustainable practices. By improving the FO process and addressing its challenges, we could contribute to improve the availability of water resources amid the global water scarcity concerns, as well as contribute to the circular economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Salamanca
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Mar Peña
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Antonio Hernandez
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Pedro Prádanos
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Laura Palacio
- Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP), Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, Paseo Belén 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
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10
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Li C, Yi K, Hu S, Yang W. Cathodic biofouling control by microbial separators in air-breathing microbial fuel cells. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 15:100251. [PMID: 36923605 PMCID: PMC10009452 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) incorporating air-breathing cathodes have emerged as a promising eco-friendly wastewater treatment technology capable of operating on an energy-free basis. However, the inevitable biofouling of these devices rapidly decreases cathodic catalytic activity and also reduces the stability of MFCs during long-term operation. The present work developed a novel microbial separator for use in air-breathing MFCs that protects cathodic catalytic activity. In these modified devices, microbes preferentially grow on the microbial separator rather than the cathodic surface such that biofouling is prevented. Trials showed that this concept provided low charge transfer and mass diffusion resistance values during the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction of 4.6 ± 1.3 and 17.3 ± 6.8 Ω, respectively, after prolonged operation. The maximum power density was found to be stable at 1.06 ± 0.07 W m-2 throughout a long-term test and the chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency was increased to 92% compared with a value of 83% for MFCs exhibiting serious biofouling. In addition, a cathode combined with a microbial separator demonstrated less cross-cathode diffusion of oxygen to the anolyte. This effect indirectly induced the growth of electroactive bacteria and produced higher currents in air-breathing MFCs. Most importantly, the present microbial separator concept enhances both the lifespan and economics of air-breathing MFCs by removing the need to replace or regenerate the cathode during long-term operation. These results indicate that the installation of a microbial separator is an effective means of stabilizing power generation and ensuring the cost-effective performance of air-breathing MFCs intended for future industrial applications.
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11
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Li Z, Qiu Y, Yu Y, Ji Y, Li H, Liao M, Li D, Liang D, Liu G, Feng Y. Long-term operation of cathode-enhanced ecological floating bed coupled with microbial electrochemical system for urban surface water remediation: From lab-scale research to engineering application. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 237:119967. [PMID: 37104934 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Ecological floating bed coupled with microbial electrochemical system (ECOFB-MES) has great application potential in micro-polluted water remediation yet limited by low electron transfer efficiency on the microbial/electrode interface. Here, an innovative cathode-enhanced EOCFB-MES was constructed with nano-Fe3O4 modification and applied for in-situ remediation both at lab scale (6 L, 62-day operation) and demonstration scale (2300 m2, 1-year operation). The cathode-enhanced ECOFB-MES exhibited superior removal in TOC (81.43 ± 2.05%), TN (85.12% ± 1.46%) and TP (59.80 ± 2.27%), much better than those of original ECOFB-MES and anode-enhanced ECOFB-MES in the laboratory test. Meanwhile, cathode-enhanced ECOFB-MES boosted current output by 33% than that of original ECOFB-MES, which made a great contribution to the improvement of ectopic electronic compensation for pollutant decontamination. Notably, cathode-enhanced ECOFB-MES presented high efficiency, stability and durability in the demonstration test, and fulfilled the average concentration of COD (9.5 ± 2.81 mg/L), TN (1.00 ± 0.21 mg/L) and TP (0.10 ± 0.04 mg/L) of effluent water to meet the Grade III (GB 3838-2002) with stable operation stage. Based on the KOSIM calculation, the removal loads of cathode-enhanced ECOFB-MES in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus could reach 37.14 g COD/(d·m2), 2.62 g TN/(d·m2) and 0.55 g TP/(d·m2), respectively. According to the analysis of microbial communities and functional genes, the cathode modified by Fe3O4 made a sensible enrichment in electroactive bacteria (EAB) and nitrogen-converting bacteria (NCB) as well as facilitated the functional genes expression in electron transfer and nitrogen metabolism, resulting in the synergistic removal of carbon in sediment and nitrite in water. This study provided a brandnew technique reference for in-situ remediation of surface water in practical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - Ye Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - Yanling Yu
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China
| | - Yunlong Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - Henan Li
- North China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., No. 99 Qixiangtai Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300000, PR China
| | - Menglong Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - Da Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - Dandan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - Guohong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China.
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China.
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12
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Zhao Q, Liu Y, Liao C, Yan X, Tian L, Li T, Li N, Wang X. Reduction of S 0 deposited on electroactive biofilm under an oxidative potential. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 882:163698. [PMID: 37094684 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The inevitable deposition of S0 on the electroactive biofilm (EAB) via anodic sulfide oxidation affects the stability of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) when an accidental discharge of sulfide occurred, leading to the inhibition of electroacitivity, because the potential of anode (e.g., 0 V versus Ag/AgCl) is ~500 mV more positive than the redox potential of S2-/S0. Here we found that S0 deposited on the EAB can be spontaneously reduced under this oxidative potential independent of microbial community variation, leading to a self-recovery of electroactivity (> 100 % in current density) with biofilm thickening (~210 μm). Transcriptomics of pure culture indicated that Geobacter highly expressed genes involving in S0 metabolism, which had an additional benefit to improve the viability (25 % - 36 %) of bacterial cells in biofilm distant from the anode and the cellular metabolic activity via electron shuttle pair of S0/S2-(Sx2-). Our findings highlighted the importance of spatially heterogeneous metabolism to its stability when EABs encountered with the problem of S0 deposition, and that in turn improved the electroactivity of EABs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Ying Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Chengmei Liao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xuejun Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Lili Tian
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Tian Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Nan Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, No. 135 Yaguan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xin Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China.
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13
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Comparative analysis of infrared and electrochemical fingerprints of different medicinal parts of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver. INT J ELECTROCHEM SC 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijoes.2023.100078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
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14
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Madan S, Madan R, Hussain A. Evaluation of corrosion and scaling tendency of polyester textile dyeing effluent, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:25582-25590. [PMID: 35851939 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22057-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Textile dyeing industries are regarded as one of the most polluting by virtue of the chemicals used and wastewater released. A great deal of chemicals, fasteners, dispersing agents is employed in the stages of dyeing and finishing. The aim of the study was to evaluate scaling and corrosion tendency of polyester textile dyeing effluent using Langelier saturation index (LSI), Ryznar stability index (RSI), and aggressiveness index (AI). The estimation of water stability indices helps in assessing the scaling and corrosive nature of wastewater which in turn facilitates evaluating the condition of the pipelines and valves. Wastewater released from textile dyeing units contains high levels of color (892 ± 20Pt-Co), chemical oxygen demand (2461 ± 48.45 mg/L), electrical conductivity (2906 ± 5.77 μS/cm), and sulfate (6620 ± 7.22 mg/L). The LSI ranged from 2.12 to 3.45, RSI varied from 2.84 to 5.62, and AI varied from 13.67 to 14.99. It was found from the results that the polyester textile dyeing effluent was scaling and non-aggressive. Also, the pipes containing this effluent have to undergo regular maintenance so that they are not blocked by scales which can render financial losses to the industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangeeta Madan
- Department of Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri (Deemed to Be University), Haridwar, 249 404, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Richa Madan
- Department of Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri (Deemed to Be University), Haridwar, 249 404, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Athar Hussain
- Civil Engineering Department, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, West Campus, Jaffarpur, Delhi, 110 073, India.
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15
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Xie J, Zou X, Chang Y, Liu H, Cui MH, Zhang TC, Xi J, Chen C. A feasibility investigation of a pilot-scale bioelectrochemical coupled anaerobic digestion system with centric electrode module for real membrane manufacturing wastewater treatment. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 368:128371. [PMID: 36423756 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The large-scale application of bioelectrochemical coupled anaerobic digestion (BES-AD) is limited by the matching of electrode configuration and the applicability of real wastewater. In this study, a pilot-scale BES-AD system with an effective system volume of 5 m3 and a 1 m3 volume of a carbon fiber brush electrode module was constructed and tested for treatment of the membrane manufacturing wastewater. The results showed that the BOD5/COD of the wastewater was increased from 0.238 to 0.398 when the applied voltage was 0.9 V. The pollutants such as N, N-Dimethylacetamide and glycerol in wastewater were degraded significantly. The microorganisms in the electrode modules were spatially enriched. The fermenters (Norank_f__ML635J-40_aquatic_group, 6.55 %; unclassified_f__Propionibacteriaceae, 5.25 %) and degraders (Corynebacterium, 29.31 %) were mostly enriched at the bottom, while electroactive bacteria (Pseudomonas, 29.39 %, Geobacter, 7.86 %) were mostly enriched at the top. Combined with the economical construction and operation cost ($1708.8/m3 and $0.76/m3) of the BES-AD system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Xie
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China
| | - Xinyi Zou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China
| | - Yaofeng Chang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China
| | - He Liu
- School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, PR China
| | - Min-Hua Cui
- School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, PR China
| | - Tian C Zhang
- Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jiajian Xi
- Suzhou Sujing Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd, Suzhou 215200, PR China
| | - Chongjun Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China.
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16
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Liu F, Ma B, He Z, Bai P. Electron transfer kinetics at anode interface in microbial electrochemical systems. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.141188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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17
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Rossi R, Logan BE. Impact of reactor configuration on pilot-scale microbial fuel cell performance. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 225:119179. [PMID: 36206685 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Different microbial fuel cell (MFC) configurations have been successfully operated at pilot-scale levels (>100 L) to demonstrate electricity generation while accomplishing domestic or industrial wastewater treatment. Two cathode configurations have been primarily used based on either oxygen transfer by aeration of a liquid catholyte or direct oxygen transfer using air-cathodes. Analysis of several pilot-scale MFCs showed that air-cathode MFCs outperformed liquid catholyte reactors based on power density, producing 233% larger area-normalized power densities and 181% higher volumetric power densities. Reactors with higher electrode packing densities improved performance by enabling larger power production while minimizing the reactor footprint. Despite producing more power than the liquid catholyte MFCs, and reducing energy consumption for catholyte aeration, pilot MFCs based on air-cathode configuration failed to produce effluents with chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels low enough to meet typical threshold for discharge. Therefore, additional treatment would be required to further reduce the organic matter in the effluent to levels suitable for discharge. Scaling up MFCs must incorporate designs that can minimize electrode and solution resistances to maximize power and enable efficient wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruggero Rossi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Bruce E Logan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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18
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Tian Y, Li C, Liang D, Xie T, He W, Li D, Feng Y. Fungus-sourced filament-array anode facilitates Geobacter enrichment and promotes anodic bio-capacitance improvement for efficient power generation in microbial fuel cells. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155926. [PMID: 35588840 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFC) are emerging as new generation eco-friendly technology for the superiorities of energy harvest and simultaneous wastewater treatment. However, the power generation performance was strongly restricted by the material/biofilm electron transfer rate. In this research, the fungus-sourced electrode with filament-array structure was firstly proposed and prepared by one-step carbonization method. After 2 h pyrolysis, the functional groups containing N and O elements highly remained in the as-prepared material, which was beneficial to the electron transfer for the current generation. The lowest electron transfer resistance was obtained at 2.2 Ω, which showed a great reduction that compared with graphite sheet anode. With filament-array structure, the lowest mass diffusion resistance was obtained at 26.9 Ω for anodic oxidation reaction, which also supported the highest current generation performance. In addition, the relative abundance of typical electrochemical bacterium Geobacter was highly improved to 45.5% with an extraordinary electroactive biofilm loading of about 1203 ± 256 μg cm-2. More importantly, the high biocatalytic activity biofilm supported a remarkably observed bio-capacitance of about 1.14 F in 3DFfv anode, which exhibited the highest power density in 3.5 ± 0.2 W m-2. In addition, the fungus-sourced material was one kind of economical and readily available material. Overall, this work provided one efficient strategy for electrode preparation and higher power generation in MFCs, which would reduce the capital cost and improve the efficiency in further applications of MFCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Chao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - DanDan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Ting Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Weihua He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Da Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China.
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19
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Baby MG, Ahammed MM. Nutrient removal and recovery from wastewater by microbial fuel cell-based systems - A review. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2022; 86:29-55. [PMID: 35838281 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2022.196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a green innovative technology that can be employed for nutrient removal/recovery as well as for energy production from wastewater. This paper summarizes the recent advances in the use of MFCs for nutrient removal/recovery. Different configurations of MFCs used for nutrient removal are first described. Different types of nutrient removal/recovery mechanisms such as precipitation, biological uptake by microalgae, nitrification, denitrification and ammonia stripping occurring in MFCs are discussed. Recovery of nutrients as struvite or cattiite by precipitation, as microalgal biomass and as ammonium salts are common. This review shows that while higher nutrient removal/recovery is possible with MFCs and their modifications compared to other techniques as indicated by many laboratory studies, field-scale studies and optimization of operational parameters are needed to develop efficient MFCs for nutrient removal and recovery and electricity generation from different types of wastewaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merin Grace Baby
- Civil Engineering Department, S V National Institute of Technology, Surat 395007, India E-mail:
| | - M Mansoor Ahammed
- Civil Engineering Department, S V National Institute of Technology, Surat 395007, India E-mail:
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20
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Li J, Chen D, Liu G, Li D, Tian Y, Feng Y. Construction of a new type of three-dimensional honeycomb-structure anode in microbial electrochemical systems for energy harvesting and pollutant removal. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 218:118429. [PMID: 35483206 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Electrode materials occupy most of the construction cost of the microbial electrochemical system (MES), and the low mechanical strength and poor electrochemical performance of the commonly used traditional carbon-based materials restrict the promotion and application of this technology. In this study, polymer-based three-dimensional (3D) honeycomb-structure (HS) materials with good mechanical properties were used as supporting materials. Graphene (GR), carbon nanotube (CNT), and polypyrrole (PPy) was separately chosen as a surface conductivity coating layer for preparing MES anodes. The introduction of GR, CNT, and PPy on HS increased surface roughness, hydrophilicity, O and N content, electrochemically active surface area, and decreased charge transfer internal resistance, which promoted the adhesion of microorganisms on their surface and enhanced the extracellular electron transfer process at the electrode/microbe interface. The CNT-HS anode system got the better maximal power density (1700.7 ± 149.0 mW/m2) of the three modified anode systems and 3.60 times that of MES using CC (471.8 ± 27.2 mW/m2) as the anode. The accelerated reactions of the redox species in the outer cell membrane, the promoted electron shuttle secretion, and the enhanced abundance of the tricarboxylic acid cycle-related functional genes in biofilm led to better performance of the CNT-HS anode system. The CNT-HS anode system also exhibited long-term operational stability (>6 months) and a good chemical oxygen demand degradation effect. Furthermore, CNT-HS material exhibited its cost advantage, and its projected cost is estimated to be about $1.8/m2, much lower than the currently used MES anodes ($8.2-548.2/m2). Considering the good mechanical properties, simple preparation process, low manufacturing cost, long-term stability, excellent bio-electrochemical performance, and good pollutant removal ability, HS-based anode has promising potential for high-performance MES in applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Dahong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Guohong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Da Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yan Tian
- Harbin FengGe Ecological Environment Technology Co., Ltd., Harbin 150028, China
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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21
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Hengsbach JN, Sabel-Becker B, Ulber R, Holtmann D. Microbial electrosynthesis of methane and acetate—comparison of pure and mixed cultures. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:4427-4443. [PMID: 35763070 PMCID: PMC9259517 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12031-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Abstract The electrochemical process of microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is used to drive the metabolism of electroactive microorganisms for the production of valuable chemicals and fuels. MES combines the advantages of electrochemistry, engineering, and microbiology and offers alternative production processes based on renewable raw materials and regenerative energies. In addition to the reactor concept and electrode design, the biocatalysts used have a significant influence on the performance of MES. Thus, pure and mixed cultures can be used as biocatalysts. By using mixed cultures, interactions between organisms, such as the direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) or syntrophic interactions, influence the performance in terms of productivity and the product range of MES. This review focuses on the comparison of pure and mixed cultures in microbial electrosynthesis. The performance indicators, such as productivities and coulombic efficiencies (CEs), for both procedural methods are discussed. Typical products in MES are methane and acetate, therefore these processes are the focus of this review. In general, most studies used mixed cultures as biocatalyst, as more advanced performance of mixed cultures has been seen for both products. When comparing pure and mixed cultures in equivalent experimental setups a 3-fold higher methane and a nearly 2-fold higher acetate production rate can be achieved in mixed cultures. However, studies of pure culture MES for methane production have shown some improvement through reactor optimization and operational mode reaching similar performance indicators as mixed culture MES. Overall, the review gives an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of using pure or mixed cultures in MES. Key points • Undefined mixed cultures dominate as inoculums for the MES of methane and acetate, which comprise a high potential of improvement • Under similar conditions, mixed cultures outperform pure cultures in MES • Understanding the role of single species in mixed culture MES is essential for future industrial applications
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Niklas Hengsbach
- Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Institute of Bioprocess Engineering, Technical University Kaiserslautern, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Björn Sabel-Becker
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Roland Ulber
- Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Institute of Bioprocess Engineering, Technical University Kaiserslautern, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany.
| | - Dirk Holtmann
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
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22
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Fathima A, Liam YZ, Ilankoon I, Chong MN. Data-driven and validated dimensional analysis for rational scale-up of a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell system for water-energy nexus exploitation. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 354:127233. [PMID: 35489574 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mathematical modelling of microbial fuel cells (MFC) facilitates their scale-up by maintaining dimensionless parameters across reactor volumes for consistent performance. This study developed data-driven correlations to predict areal power density for a batch-fed dual-chamber MFC using hybridised first-principle mechanistic model and Buckingham's Pi theorem. The established correlations were validated using experimentally-derived data for pre-enriched electroactive biofilm from mixed cultures. The biochemical model parameters are infilled with stoichiometric and thermodynamics estimations. Results showed that the correlations using logistic kinetics (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency, NSE = 0.59) outperformed Monod kinetics (NSE = 0.52) as the latter was not suitable for representing the first-order biochemical kinetics under limited substrate conditions. Sensitivity analysis on varying pH and bicarbonate concentration improved model predictions by ± 50%, though relative absolute error was ± 20% due to inherent error of estimated biochemical parameters. The application of hybridised approach for modelling MFC provides renewed perspectives for their rational design and scale-up applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshia Fathima
- School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia
| | - Yong Zheng Liam
- School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia
| | - Imsk Ilankoon
- School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia
| | - Meng Nan Chong
- School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia.
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23
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Yamane T, Yoshida N, Sugioka M. Simultaneous removal of organic matter and nitrogen compounds by partitioned aeration in a 226 L-scale microbial fuel cell. RSC Adv 2022; 12:15091-15097. [PMID: 35702426 PMCID: PMC9115875 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra01485h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been widely studied as wastewater treatment technologies that convert organic matter to electricity, there are few reports of large-scale MFCs that treat both organic matter and nitrogen compounds. In this study, a 226 L reactor equipped with 27 MFC units was partially aerated at 10% of its total volume. The MFC unit consists of a cylindrical air core covered with a carbon-based air cathode, an anion exchange membrane, and a graphite non-woven fabric anode. The air-cathode MFC with 13 L min-1 aeration rate produced a current density of 0.0012-0.15 A m-2 with 40 to >93% biological oxygen demand (BOD) removal to have an effluent BOD of <5-36 mg L-1 at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12-47 h. Meanwhile, 55 ± 17% of the total nitrogen (TN) was removed, resulting in 9.7 ± 3.8 mg L-1 TN in the effluent, although the TN removal was limited at ≥20 °C. The mono-exponential regression for BOD and TN (≥20 °C) estimated that an HRT of 21 h could meet the Japanese effluent quality standards of BOD and TN. Calculation of the total energy recovered via current generation and energy consumed by aeration suggested an energy consumption of 0.22 kW h m-3. Decreasing the aeration rate and HRT in the reactor would further reduce energy consumption and increase energy production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiki Yamane
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech) Gokiso-Cho, Showa-Ku Nagoya Aichi Japan
| | - Naoko Yoshida
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech) Gokiso-Cho, Showa-Ku Nagoya Aichi Japan
| | - Mari Sugioka
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech) Gokiso-Cho, Showa-Ku Nagoya Aichi Japan
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Li C, Feng Y, Liang D, Zhang L, Tian Y, Yadav RS, He W. Spatial-type skeleton induced Geobacter enrichment and tailored bio-capacitance of electroactive bioanode for efficient electron transfer in microbial fuel cells. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153123. [PMID: 35051486 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a promising alternative to energy-intensive conventional wastewater technology. However, poor electron transfer efficiency, low coulombic recovery (CR), and high capital cost highly restricted its practical application. In this work, spatial electroactive biofilm is successfully developed on the carbonaceous skeleton derived from phenolic foam, which highly improved the bio-capacitance and Geobacter abundance of bioanode. Compared with carbon cloth (CC) anode, the optimal spatial electroactive biofilm (3DP_900) enriched the Geobacter abundance up to 56.8% from 17.2%, and obtained an extraordinary electroactive biomass loading of about 339 ± 63 μg cm-2 and a remarkable bio-capacitance of about 3.4 F. In general, spatial biofilm highly reduces the barriers to electron transfer (Rct) and mass transfer (Rd) in anodic substrate oxidation reaction and obtains the lowest Rct of 2.0 ± 0.2 Ω and Rd of 35 ± 3.3 Ω in 3DP_900, which also supports the highest power density at 0.347 ± 0.027 W m-2 and the highest CR at 69.2%. More importantly, due to its mature preparation technology, carbonized phenolic foam (2 cm thick pieces) reduces the capital cost of electrode preparation by three orders of magnitude from 1157.3 USD m-2 of CC to 5.2 USD m-2. Overall, this work offers an effective and scalable electrode to achieve high substrate utilization rate and energy recovery efficiency, and considers the economic cost of electrode fabrication for the further construction of pilot-scale MFCs equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Dandan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- School of Environmental and Energy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Yan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Ravi Shankar Yadav
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Weihua He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China.
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Rossi R, Hur AY, Page MA, Thomas AO, Butkiewicz JJ, Jones DW, Baek G, Saikaly PE, Cropek DM, Logan BE. Pilot scale microbial fuel cells using air cathodes for producing electricity while treating wastewater. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 215:118208. [PMID: 35255425 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can generate electrical energy from the oxidation of the organic matter, but they must be demonstrated at large scales, treat real wastewaters, and show the required performance needed at a site to provide a path forward for this technology. Previous pilot-scale studies of MFC technology have relied on systems with aerated catholytes, which limited energy recovery due to the energy consumed by pumping air into the catholyte. In the present study, we developed, deployed, and tested an 850 L (1400 L total liquid volume) air-cathode MFC treating domestic-type wastewater at a centralized wastewater treatment facility. The wastewater was processed over a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12 h through a sequence of 17 brush anode modules (11 m2 total projected anode area) and 16 cathode modules, each constructed using two air-cathodes (0.6 m2 each, total cathode area of 20 m2) with the air side facing each other to allow passive air flow. The MFC effluent was further treated in a biofilter (BF) to decrease the organic matter content. The field test was conducted for over six months to fully characterize the electrochemical and wastewater treatment performance. Wastewater quality as well as electrical energy production were routinely monitored. The power produced over six months by the MFC averaged 0.46 ± 0.35 W (0.043 W m-2 normalized to the cross-sectional area of an anode) at a current of 1.54 ± 0.90 A with a coulombic efficiency of 9%. Approximately 49 ± 15 % of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was removed in the MFC alone as well as a large amount of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) (70%) and total suspended solid (TSS) (48%). In the combined MFC/BF process, up to 91 ± 6 % of the COD and 91 % of the BOD5 were removed as well as certain bacteria (E. coli, 98.9%; fecal coliforms, 99.1%). The average effluent concentration of nitrate was 1.6 ± 2.4 mg L-1, nitrite was 0.17 ± 0.24 mg L-1 and ammonia was 0.4 ± 1.0 mg L-1. The pilot scale reactor presented here is the largest air-cathode MFC ever tested, generating electrical power while treating wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruggero Rossi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Andy Y Hur
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, IL 61822, USA
| | - Martin A Page
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, IL 61822, USA.
| | | | | | - David W Jones
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Gahyun Baek
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Pascal E Saikaly
- Environmental Science and Engineering Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Water Desalination and Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Donald M Cropek
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, IL 61822, USA
| | - Bruce E Logan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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Sugioka M, Yoshida N, Yamane T, Kakihana Y, Higa M, Matsumura T, Sakoda M, Iida K. Long-term evaluation of an air-cathode microbial fuel cell with an anion exchange membrane in a 226L wastewater treatment reactor. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 205:112416. [PMID: 34808126 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although the treatment of municipal wastewater using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has been extensively studied, scaling the systems up for practical use remains challenging. In this study, a 226 L sewage treatment reactor was equipped with 27 MFC units, and its chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and electricity production were evaluated. The MFC units were tubular air cores with a diameter of 5 cm and length of 100 cm, which were wrapped with a carbon-based cathode, anion exchange membrane (AEM), and nonwoven graphite fabric. The air-cathode-AEM MFC generated 0.12-0.30 A/m2, 0.072-0.51 W/m3, and 1.7-4.6 Wh/m3 in a chemostat reactor with a COD of 140-36 mg/L and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 9-42 h throughout a year. The decrease in the COD was represented as the first-order rate constant of 0.038. The rate constant was comparable to that of other air-cathode MFCs with cation exchange membranes, indicating the necessity of a posttreatment to meet the discharge standard. It has been estimated that the MFC operation for 24 h before post-aeration can reduce the energy required to meet the discharge standard by 70%, suggesting the potential applicability of MFC in long HRT-treatments such as oxidation ditch. The resistances of the anode, cathode, and AEM were 15, 7.0, and 0.51 mΩ m2, respectively, and surface dirt rather than deterioration primarily increased the AEM resistance. A current exceeding 0.2 A/m2 significantly increases the anode potential, indicating that the current was limited by low COD. Increasing the anode-specific surface area can improve air-AEM MFCs used for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Sugioka
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech), Gokiso-Cho, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Naoko Yoshida
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech), Gokiso-Cho, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
| | - Taiki Yamane
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech), Gokiso-Cho, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yuriko Kakihana
- Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Higa
- Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, Japan
| | | | - Mitsuhiro Sakoda
- Water & Sewage Department, Tamano Consultants Co., Ltd., 2-17-14, Higashisakura, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kazuki Iida
- River & Water Resources Division, NIPPON KOEI Co., Ltd., 5-4 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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27
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Paitier A, Haddour N, Gondran C, Vogel TM. Effect of Contact Area and Shape of Anode Current Collectors on Bacterial Community Structure in Microbial Fuel Cells. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27072245. [PMID: 35408642 PMCID: PMC9000358 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27072245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Low electrical conductivity of carbon materials is a source of potential loss for large carbonaceous electrode surfaces of MFCs due to the long distance traveled by electrons to the collector. In this paper, different configurations of titanium current collectors were used to connect large surfaces of carbon cloth anodes. The current collectors had different distances and contact areas to the anode. For the same anode surface (490 cm2), increasing the contact area from 28 cm2 to 70 cm2 enhanced power output from 58 mW·m-2 to 107 mW·m-2. For the same contact area (28 cm2), decreasing the maximal distance of current collectors to anodes from 16.5 cm to 7.75 cm slightly increased power output from 50 mW·m-2 to 58 mW·m-2. Molecular biology characterization (qPCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing) of anodic bacterial communities indicated that the Geobacter number was not correlated with power. Moreover, Geobacter and Desulfuromonas abundance increased with the drop in potential on the anode and with the presence of fermentative microorganisms. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that biofilm resistance decreased with the abundance of electroactive bacteria. All these results showed that the electrical gradient arising from collectors shapes microbial communities. Consequently, current collectors influence the performance of carbon-based anodes for full-scale MFC applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Paitier
- Laboratoire Ampère, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Université de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5005, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, France;
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, Université de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5005, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, CEDEX, 69616 Villeurbanne, France;
| | - Naoufel Haddour
- Laboratoire Ampère, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Université de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5005, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, France;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-4-72-18-61-12
| | - Chantal Gondran
- DCM, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, 38000 Grenoble, France;
| | - Timothy M. Vogel
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, Université de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5005, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, CEDEX, 69616 Villeurbanne, France;
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Dong Y, Sui M, Jiang Y, Wu J, Wang X. Dibutyl phthalate weakens the role of electroactive biofilm as an efficient wastewater handler and related mechanism. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:151612. [PMID: 34780837 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plasticizer plays an imperceptible role in interfering with the structure and function of wastewater biofilms, but the inherent influence mechanism still remains unknown. Here, the responses in electrochemical, structural, microbial properties of electroactive biofilm (EAB) to plasticizer (dibutyl phthalate, DBP) were comprehensively elucidated, especially for the property variation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The biofilm-0 in DBP-absent environment contributed to 22.9% and 63.9% higher current, compared to those in 1 mg/L and 10 mg/L DBP environment (biofilm-1 and biofilm-10). Chronic exposure to high-concentration DBP significantly boosted the content and distribution width of polysaccharide in EPS, but the electron exchange capacity of EPS decreased 76.6% to 0.146 μmol e-/mg EPS for biofilm-10. The bacteria were subjected to metabolic function loss, in terms of esterase activity and membrane integrity, by using flow cytometry. The DBP exposure also imposed selective pressure on enrich EPS-secretion-related bacteria, while the Geobacter species decreased from 71.2% (biofilm-0) to 55.8% (biofilm-10). Consequently, the DBP exposure suppressed the pollutant degradation rate, which provided new insights into the EAB role as a promising core for wastewater treatment in plasticizer-existing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Dong
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Mingrui Sui
- College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yiying Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Jianyu Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Xin Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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Li C, He W, Liang D, Tian Y, Li J, Li Z, Feng Y. Microbial separator allied biocathode supports simultaneous nitrification and denitrification for nitrogen removal in microbial electrochemical system. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 345:126537. [PMID: 34896532 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial separator (MS) allied biocathode was considered as one promising construction mode for pilot-scale microbial electrochemical system (MES). Instead of traditional ion exchange membrane, the microbial separator provided more potential for nitrogen metabolism due to its hydraulic permeable performance. In microbial separator installed biocathode MES, nitrogen removal efficiency, functional bacteria composition, and nitrogen metabolism routes were systemically investigated. Nitrogen removal tests suggested that the nitrogen removal was restricted by the ammonia oxidation reaction in cathode chamber. The PICRUSt2 functional genes prediction proved that simultaneous nitrification and denitrification reaction (SNDR) was dominant pathway for the nitrogen metabolism. The microbial composition analysis provided direct evidences that microbial separator compensated the simultaneous nitrification and denitrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Weihua He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Dandan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jiannan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Zeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China.
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30
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Herrera-Navarrete R, Colín-Cruz A, Arellano-Wences HJ, Sampedro-Rosas ML, Rosas-Acevedo JL, Rodríguez-Herrera AL. Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants: Gap, Challenges, and Opportunities in Environmental Management. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 69:75-88. [PMID: 34799756 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-021-01562-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants (MWWTPs) have proven to be sources of adverse environmental impacts; however, integrated management can help improve their efficiency. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the gap between the current management and another based on an international standard applied to WWTPMs, in order to understand their environmental commitment, and to identify the challenges and opportunities they present for the adoption or certification of an environmental management system (EMS) based on ISO 14001. For this purpose, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in two MWWTPs in southern Mexico. In a first step, an automated checklist was designed based on the requirements of the ISO 14001:2015 standard and based on a modified FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) calculation method. In a second step, a diagnosis was carried out at the MWWTPs, followed by a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis to determine internal and external factors until a series of challenges and opportunities was identified. The findings indicate that the selected MWWTPs have a wide gap that keeps them away from efficient management. Among the challenges, "limited financial resources" were identified followed by "high turnover of managerial staff", while the opportunities with the greatest potential for improvement are related to the factors "candidate for investment" and "environmental policy". The treatment plants show a weak environmental commitment, therefore rigorous action plans should be considered, not only to protect the environment but also the investment, and they should be the main promoters that challenge the private sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Herrera-Navarrete
- Center of Regional Development Sciences, Autonomous University of Guerrero, Privada de Laurel No. 13 Col. El Roble, C.P. 39640 Acapulco, Guerrero, México
| | - Arturo Colín-Cruz
- Faculty of Chemistry, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, Paseo Colon esq. Paseo Tollocan, S/N C.P. 50120, Toluca, México
| | - Hilda Janet Arellano-Wences
- Center of Regional Development Sciences, Autonomous University of Guerrero, Privada de Laurel No. 13 Col. El Roble, C.P. 39640 Acapulco, Guerrero, México.
| | - María Laura Sampedro-Rosas
- Center of Regional Development Sciences, Autonomous University of Guerrero, Privada de Laurel No. 13 Col. El Roble, C.P. 39640 Acapulco, Guerrero, México
| | - José Luis Rosas-Acevedo
- Center of Regional Development Sciences, Autonomous University of Guerrero, Privada de Laurel No. 13 Col. El Roble, C.P. 39640 Acapulco, Guerrero, México
| | - América Libertad Rodríguez-Herrera
- Center of Regional Development Sciences, Autonomous University of Guerrero, Privada de Laurel No. 13 Col. El Roble, C.P. 39640 Acapulco, Guerrero, México
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Wu R, Yu YY, Wang Y, Wang YZ, Song H, Ma C, Qu G, You C, Sun Z, Zhang W, Li A, Li CM, Yong YC, Zhu Z. Wastewater-powered high-value chemical synthesis in a hybrid bioelectrochemical system. iScience 2021; 24:103401. [PMID: 34841233 PMCID: PMC8605441 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A microbial electrochemical system could potentially be applied as a biosynthesis platform by extracting wastewater energy while converting it to value-added chemicals. However, the unfavorable thermodynamics and sluggish kinetics of in vivo whole-cell cathodic catalysis largely limit product diversity and value. Herein, we convert the in vivo cathodic reaction to in vitro enzymatic catalysis and develop a microbe-enzyme hybrid bioelectrochemical system (BES), where microbes release the electricity from wastewater (anode) to power enzymatic catalysis (cathode). Three representative examples for the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant compounds, including halofunctionalized oleic acid based on a cascade reaction, (4-chlorophenyl)-(pyridin-2-yl)-methanol based on electrochemical cofactor regeneration, and l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine based on electrochemical reduction, were demonstrated. According to the techno-economic analysis, this system could deliver high system profit, opening an avenue to a potentially viable wastewater-to-profit process while shedding scientific light on hybrid BES mechanisms toward a sustainable reuse of wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranran Wu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
| | - Yang-Yang Yu
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Yuanming Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Yan-Zhai Wang
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Haiyan Song
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
| | - Chunling Ma
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
| | - Ge Qu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
| | - Chun You
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Zhoutong Sun
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Wuyuan Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Aitao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Chang Ming Li
- Institute for Materials Science and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215011, P.R. China
- Institute of Advanced Cross-Field Science, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P.R. China
| | - Yang-Chun Yong
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Zhiguang Zhu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
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Li Y, Liu J, Chen X, Wu J, Li N, He W, Feng Y. Tailoring Surface Properties of Electrodes for Synchronous Enhanced Extracellular Electron Transfer and Enriched Exoelectrogens in Microbial Fuel Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:58508-58521. [PMID: 34871496 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c16583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An extracellular electron transfer (EET) process between an electroactive biofilm and an electrode is a crucial step for the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which is highly related to the enrichment of exoelectrogens and the electrocatalytic activity of the electrode. Herein, an efficient N- and Fe-abundant carbon cloth (CC) electrode with the comodification of iron porphyrin (FePor) and polyquaternium-7 (PQ) was synthesized using a facile solvent evaporation and immersion method and developed as an anode (named FePor-PQ) in MFCs. The surface structural characterizations confirmed the successful introduction of N and Fe atoms, whereas FePor-PQ achieved the N content of 9.59 at %, which may offer various active sites for EET. The introduction of PQ contributed to improving the surface hydrophilicity, providing the composite electrode good biocompatibility for bacterial attachment and colonization as well as substrate diffusion. Based on the advantages, the MFC with the FePor-PQ anode produced a maximum power density of 2165.7 mW m-2, strikingly higher than those of CC (1124.0 mW m-2), PQ (1668.8 mW m-2), and FePor (1978.9 mW m-2). Furthermore, with the EET mediated by the binding of flavins and c-type cytochromes on the outer membrane was enhanced prominently, the typical exoelectrogen Geobacter was enriched up to 55.84% in the FePor-PQ anode biofilm. This work reveals a synergistic effect from heteroatom coating and surface properties tailoring to boost both the EET efficiency and exoelectrogen enrichment for enhancing MFC performance, which also provides valuable insights for designing electrodes in other bio-electrochemical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfei Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Environment and Ecology, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jia Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Environment and Ecology, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xuepeng Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Environment and Ecology, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jingxuan Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Environment and Ecology, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Nan Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Environment and Ecology, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Weihua He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Environment and Ecology, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yujie Feng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Environment and Ecology, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
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Cui MH, Liu WZ, Tang ZE, Cui D. Recent advancements in azo dye decolorization in bio-electrochemical systems (BESs): Insights into decolorization mechanism and practical application. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 203:117512. [PMID: 34384951 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in bio-electrochemical systems (BESs) for azo dye removal are gaining momentum due to having electrode biocarrier and electro-active bacteria that could stimulate decolorization via extracellular electron transfer. Enhanced decolorization performance is observed in most laboratory studies, indicating the great potential of BESs as an alternative to the traditional biological processes or serving as a pre-/post-processing unit to improve the performance of biological processes. It is proven more competitive in environmental friendly than physicochemical methods. While, the successful application of BESs to azo dye-containing wastewater remediation requires a deeper evaluation of its performance, mechanism and typical attributes, and a comprehensive potential evaluation of BESs practical application in terms of economic analysis and technical optimizations. This review is organized to address BESs as a practical option for azo dye removal by analyzing the decolorization mechanisms and involved functional microorganisms, followed by the comparisons of device configurations, operational conditions, and economic evaluation. It further highlights the current hurdles and prospects for the abatement of azo dyes via BES related techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Hua Cui
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Wen-Zong Liu
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Zi-En Tang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Dan Cui
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
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Nagahashi W, Yoshida N. Comparative evaluation of fibrous artificial carbons and bamboo charcoal in terms of recovery of current from sewage wastewater. J GEN APPL MICROBIOL 2021; 67:248-255. [PMID: 34470976 DOI: 10.2323/jgam.2021.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
In this study, two fibrous carbon anodes (namely, pleated non-woven graphite (PNWG) and carbon brush (CB) made from artificial carbon) and bamboo charcoal (BC) were evaluated for current recovery from sewage wastewater. When these anodes were polarized at 0.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl in sewage wastewater, CB produced a maximum current of 2.9 A/m2. This exceeded that produced by PNWG (1.5 A/m2) and BC (1.4 A/m2). The accumulative charge recovery achieved with CB was superior to those achieved with the other two (1.6- and 2.2-fold higher than that with PNWG and BC, respectively). During the cyclic voltammetry analysis, CB demonstrated the highest catalytic current with maximum potential in the range of -0.6 to 0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl and the smallest anode resistance (0.20 Ωm2). Direct cell counting revealed that the fibrous anodes (CB and PNWG) attached most of the cells in the anodes (80%), whereas BC did not. In contrast, the proportion of Geobacter species, a representative electrogenic microorganism in the total bacteria, was observed to be similar among the three anodes (4.4-5.8%). The tubular microbial fuel cell (ø 5.0 cm) equipped with an air-chamber core wrapped with an anion exchange membrane (AEM) and the CB delivered a current of 1.8 A/m2. This is higher than those reported in the existing literature for the same microbial fuel cell (MFC) configuration. This indicates that the alteration of the anode from planar to brush can contribute toward improving the current recovery through the air-cathode-AEM-MFC. The BC needs improvement to have more specific surface area, whereas it showed superiority in cost efficiency considering material and processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Nagahashi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech)
| | - Naoko Yoshida
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech)
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Liao C, Zhao Q, Wang S, Yan X, Li T, Zhou L, An J, Yan Y, Li N, Wang X. Excessive extracellular polymeric substances induced by organic shocks accelerate electron transfer of oxygen reducing biocathode. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 774:145767. [PMID: 33610993 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Electrotrophic bacteria on cathodes are promising substitutes to precious metals as oxygen reduction reaction catalysts in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs). Leading the anodic effluent to the biocathode has additional benefits of neutralizing pH and removing residual pollutants. However, the overflow of excessive organic pollutants inhibits the activity of autotrophic biocathodes. Adding glucose as an organic shock, we confirm that the startup time of biocathodes is initially prolonged by 1.2 times with a decrease in current. However, the currents inversely surpass the control in glucose-added BESs when the biofilm is mature, and the maximum current density increase by 5.5 times with a relatively stable performance. This increase is mainly attributed to the production of agglomerates dominated by polysaccharides and proteins as extracellular polymeric substances. These agglomerates wrap additional redox shuttles that accelerated the electron transfer between electrotrophic bacteria and the cathode. This study demonstrates for the first time that organic shocks enhance the electroactivity of autotrophic biocathodes and provides insights into the feedback mechanisms of electrotrophic microbial community to environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengmei Liao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Shu Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xuejun Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Tian Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Lean Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jingkun An
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yuqing Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Nan Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xin Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China.
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Abstract
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has attracted a great amount of attention due to its potential for organic and inorganic waste treatment concomitant with power generation. It is thus seen as a clean energy alternative. Modifications and innovations have been conducted on standalone and hybrid/coupled MFC systems to improve the power output to meet the end goal, namely, commercialization and implementation into existing wastewater treatment plants. As the energy generated is inversely proportional to the size of the reactor, the stacking method has been proven to boost the power output from MFC. In recent years, stacked or scale-up MFCs have also been used as a power source to provide off-grid energy, as well as for in situ assessments. These scale-up studies, however, encountered various challenges, such as cell voltage reversal. This review paper explores recent scale-up studies, identifies trends and challenges, and provides a framework for current and future research.
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Yang K, Zhao Y, Ji M, Li Z, Zhai S, Zhou X, Wang Q, Wang C, Liang B. Challenges and opportunities for the biodegradation of chlorophenols: Aerobic, anaerobic and bioelectrochemical processes. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 193:116862. [PMID: 33550168 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.116862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Chlorophenols (CPs) are highly toxic and refractory contaminants which widely exist in various environments and cause serious harm to human and environment health and safety. This review provides comprehensive information on typical CPs biodegradation technologies, the most green and benign ones for CPs removal. The known aerobic and anaerobic degradative bacteria, functional enzymes, and metabolic pathways of CPs as well as several improving methods and critical parameters affecting the overall degradation efficiency are systematically summarized and clarified. The challenges for CPs mineralization are also discussed, mainly including the dechlorination of polychlorophenols (poly-CPs) under aerobic condition and the ring-cleavage of monochlorophenols (MCPs) under anaerobic condition. The coupling of functional materials and degraders as well as the operation of sequential anaerobic-aerobic bioreactors and bioelectrochemical system (BES) are promising strategies to overcome some current limitations. Future perspective and research gaps in this field are also proposed, including the further understanding of microbial information and the specific role of materials in CPs biodegradation, the potential application of innovative biotechnologies and new operating modes to optimize and maximize the function of the system, and the scale-up of bioreactors towards the efficient biodegradation of CPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaichao Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yingxin Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Min Ji
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Zhiling Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Siyuan Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Qian Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Can Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Bin Liang
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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Niu J, Feng Y, Wang N, Liu S, Liang Y, Liu J, He W. Effects of high ammonia loading and in-situ short-cut nitrification in low carbon‑nitrogen ratio wastewater treatment by biocathode microbial electrochemical system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 755:142641. [PMID: 33049541 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The microbial electrochemical system (MES) has great advantages in wastewater treatment for rapid chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and low sludge yield rate. Herein, biocathode MES was proposed to remove COD from high-ammonia wastewater with low carbon‑nitrogen ratio and regulate the nitrogen forms in effluent for ANAMMOX process. The biocathode was more sensitive to ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) than anode and determined the power generation of MES. With COD of 500-550 mg L-1 in influent, increasing NH4+-N from 50 to 150 mg L-1 improved maximum power output (Pmax) from 3.0 ± 0.2 to 3.4 ± 0.1 W m-3, which was then reduced with further increase of NH4+-N from 300 to 600 mg L-1. However, for the cathodic reductive current, the negative effects of ammonia only revealed with NH4+-N ≥ 450 mg L-1. The cathodic equilibrium potential drop determined the power degradation, because the increased reductive compounds (NH4+ and COD) in catholyte. The high NH4+-N reduced the abundance of denitrifiers, exoelectrogens and organic-degrading bacteria on electrodes, while that of nitrogen-fixing bacteria increased. External alkalinity addition achieved in-situ short-cut nitrification and nitrite accumulation. With comparable NH4+ and NO2-, limited NO3- and low COD, the biocathode MES effluent was then suitable for subsequence ANAMMOX process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Niu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Ecology and Environment, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yujie Feng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Ecology and Environment, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Naiyu Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Ecology and Environment, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Shujuan Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Ecology and Environment, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yuhai Liang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jia Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Ecology and Environment, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Weihua He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Academy of Ecology and Environment, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China.
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Tian Y, Li D, Liu G, Li C, Liu J, Wu J, Liu J, Feng Y. Formate production from CO 2 electroreduction in a salinity-gradient energy intensified microbial electrochemical system. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 320:124292. [PMID: 33161313 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The electricity production of microbial electrochemical system can be substantially strengthened by coupling with a reverse electrodialysis stack which extracts energy from salinity gradient, therefore provides a possible way for value-added products in cathode without external energy input. Here, a microbial reverse-electrodialysis CO2 reduction cell (MRECC) was developed and successfully utilized to drive CO2-to-formate conversion on a Bi/Cu cathode. Results confirmed the optimal anodic COD load and cathodic CO2 flow rate to be 1 g NaAc L-1 and 10 mL min-1. MRECC could yielded 143.5 ± 8.1 mg L-1 of formate with total energy efficiency of 4.6 ± 0.9% and coulombic efficiency of 46.4 ± 2.4%. Increasing or decreasing anode or cathode load impaired MRECC performance from economic and environmental viabilities. MRECC provided a promising platform for simultaneous CO2 reduction and value-added chemicals production by using sustainable energy from wastewaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Da Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Pingshan Road, Shen Zhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Guohong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Chao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jia Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Junfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China.
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Sui M, Li Y, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Wang L, Zhang W, Wang X. Light exposure interferes with electroactive biofilm enrichment and reduces extracellular electron transfer efficiency. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 188:116512. [PMID: 33161361 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Light plays a vital role in shaping the structure of natural biofilms, but the effect of light on electroactive biofilm (EAB) has not been systematically studied. Herein, the influence of light on the formation of EAB was investigated. The EAB grown in darkness was more electroactive (EAB-0) with a peak current of ∼4.5 A/m2, which was 196 and 5556 times higher than EABs formed under light intensities of 600 (EAB-600) and 1200 lux (EAB-1200). A thin EAB (30 μm) with spherical pink aggregates was obtained after 13 days in the darkness, comparing to a dense and flat biofilm grown under light conditions. Although the biomass in EAB-1200 (38.5 ± 1.6 mg/L) was 3 times larger than that in EAB-0 (11.4 ± 1.8 mg/L), the degradation of substrate was not sufficient. EAB-0 contained 85% Geobacter species, while the Rhodopseudomonas species made up 66% and 75% of EAB-600 and EAB-1200, respectively. The polysaccharides produced by EAB-1200 was 4801 ± 253 mg/m2, which were 2.3 times higher than 2073 ± 160 mg/m2 of EAB-0, resulting in lower electro-conductivity of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) under light conditions. Our findings confirmed that the light exposure affected EAB performance by altering the microbial components, electron transfer capacity, and biofilm morphology, which can be used in predictions of the formation and properties of engineered EAB in outdoor environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingrui Sui
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yi Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Yiying Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yuhang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Longfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Wenlong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Xin Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No. 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, China
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41
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Yamane T, Yoshida N, Sugioka M. Estimation of total energy requirement for sewage treatment by a microbial fuel cell with a one-meter air-cathode assuming Michaelis–Menten COD degradation. RSC Adv 2021; 11:20036-20045. [PMID: 35479885 PMCID: PMC9033653 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra03061b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Calculations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) degradation in sewage by a microbial fuel cell (MFC) were used to estimate the total energy required for treatment of the sewage. Mono-exponential regression (MER) and the Michaelis–Menten equation (MME) were used to describe the MFC's COD removal rate (CRR). The tubular MFC used in this study (ϕ 5.0 × 100 cm) consisted of an air core surrounding a carbon-based cathode, an anion exchange membrane, and graphite non-woven fabric immersed in sewage. The MFC generated 0.26 A m−2 of the electrode area and 0.32 W m−3 of the sewage water, and 3.9 W h m−3 in a chemostat reactor supplemented continuously with sewage containing 180 mg L−1 of COD with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12 h. The COD removal and coulombic efficiency (CE) were 46% and 19%, respectively, and the energy generation efficiency (EGE) was 0.054 kW h kg−1-COD. The CRR and current in the MFC were strongly dependent on the COD, which could be controlled by varying the HRT. The MER model predicted first-order rate constants of 0.054 and 0.034 for reactors with and without MFC, respectively. The difference in these values indicated that using MFC significantly increased the COD removal. The results of fitting the experimental data to the MME suggested that the total COD can be separated into nondegradable CODs (Cn) and degradable CODs (Cd) via MFC. The values of CRR for Cd and CE suggest that MFC pretreatment for 12 hours prior to aeration results in a 75% decrease in net energy consumption while reducing sewage COD from 180 to 20 mg L−1. Calculations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) degradation in sewage by a microbial fuel cell (MFC) were used to estimate the total energy required for treatment of the sewage.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiki Yamane
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech)
- Nagoya
- Japan
| | - Naoko Yoshida
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech)
- Nagoya
- Japan
| | - Mari Sugioka
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Nagoya Institute of Technology (Nitech)
- Nagoya
- Japan
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42
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Yang K, Ji M, Liang B, Zhao Y, Zhai S, Ma Z, Yang Z. Bioelectrochemical degradation of monoaromatic compounds: Current advances and challenges. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 398:122892. [PMID: 32768818 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Monoaromatic compounds (MACs) are typical refractory organic pollutants which are existing widely in various environments. Biodegradation strategies are benign while the key issue is the sustainable supply of electron acceptors/donors. Bioelectrochemical system (BES) shows great potential in this field for providing continuous electrons for MACs degradation. Phenol and BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes) can utilize anode to enhance oxidative degradation, while chlorophenols, nitrobenzene and antibiotic chloramphenicol (CAP) can be efficiently reduced to less-toxic products by the cathode. However, there still have several aspects need to be improved including the scale, electricity output and MACs degradation efficiency of BES. This review provides a comprehensive summary on the BES degradation of MACs, and discusses the advantages, future challenges and perspectives for BES development. Instead of traditional expensive dual-chamber configurations for MACs degradation, new single-chamber membrane-less reactors are cost-effective and the hydrogen generated from cathodes may promote the anode degradation. Electrode materials are the key to improve BES performance, approaches to increase the biofilm enrichment and conductivity of materials have been discussed, including surface modification as well as composition of carbon and metal-based materials. Besides, the development and introduction of functional microbes and redox mediators, participation of sulfur/hydrogen cycling may further enhance the BES versatility. Some critical parameters, such as the applied voltage and conductivity, can also affect the BES performance, which shouldn't be overlooked. Moreover, sequential cathode-anode cascaded mode is a promising strategy for MACs complete mineralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaichao Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Min Ji
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Bin Liang
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, 518055, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Yingxin Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
| | - Siyuan Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Zehao Ma
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Zhifan Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
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43
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High voltage generation from wastewater by microbial fuel cells equipped with a newly designed low voltage booster multiplier (LVBM). Sci Rep 2020; 10:18985. [PMID: 33149238 PMCID: PMC7642417 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75916-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Although microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can produce renewable energy from wastewater, the generated power is practically unusable. To extract usable power from an MFC fed with wastewater, we newly developed a low voltage booster multiplier (LVBM), which is composed of a self-oscillating LVB and multistage voltage multiplier circuits (VMCs). The low output MFC voltage (ca. 0.4 V) was successfully boosted up to 99 ± 2 V, which was the highest voltage that has been ever reported, without voltage reversal by connecting an LVB with 20-stage VMCs. Moreover, the boosted voltage (81 ± 1 V) was stably maintained for > 40 h even after disconnecting the LVBM from the MFC. The energy harvesting efficiency of LVBM was > 80% when an LVB with 4-stage VMCs was charged to 9.3 V. These results clearly suggest that the proposed LVBM system is an efficient and self-starting energy harvester and storage for low-power generating MFCs.
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44
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Zhang L, Fu G, Zhang Z. Long-term stable and energy-neutral mixed biofilm electrode for complete nitrogen removal from high-salinity wastewater: Mechanism and microbial community. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 313:123660. [PMID: 32562967 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The steady mixed biofilm electrode (MBE) was investigated for the removal of nitrogen from mustard tuber wastewater. Results showed that complete nitrogen removal occurred over a wide initial chemical oxygen demand (COD)/total nitrogen (TN) ratio ranging from 2.8 to 9.8 using MBE. MBE revealed broad-spectrum applicability for the treatment of high-salinity wastewater containing different forms of nitrogen. Bio-electrochemical process, in-situ heterotrophic nitrogen reduction, ammonia stripping, nitrogen assimilation, and endogenous denitrification coexisted for the removal of nitrogen. Batch activity tests and functional microorganism analysis confirmed that autotrophic/heterotrophic nitrification, anoxic/aerobic denitrification, and nitrogen bio-electrochemical reduction cooperated to achieve efficient nitrogen conversion. More importantly, the analysis of the preliminary energy balance demonstrated that MBE was self-sustaining. The long-term operation stability of MBE was of great importance for its practical application. The results provided herein offer new insights into bioelectrochemical nitrogen removal and resource treatment of high-salinity wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linfang Zhang
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China; Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Guokai Fu
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China; Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
| | - Zhi Zhang
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China; Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
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45
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Yu X, Tang Y, Pan J, Shen L, Begum A, Gong Z, Xue J. Physico-chemical processes. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2020; 92:1751-1769. [PMID: 32762110 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
By summarizing 187 relevant research articles published in 2019, the review is focused on the research progress of physicochemical processes for wastewater treatment. This review divides into two sections, physical processes and chemical processes. The physical processes section includes three sub-sections, that is, adsorption, granular filtration, and dissolved air flotation, whereas the chemical processes section has five sub-sections, that is, coagulation/flocculation, advanced oxidation processes, electrochemical, capacitive deionization, and ion exchange. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Totally 187 research articles on wastewater treatment have been reviewed and discussed. The review has two major sections with eight sub-topics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxuan Yu
- China Construction Science & Technology Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Branch, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yao Tang
- Ebo Environmental Protection Group, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Pan
- Hangzhou Bertzer Catalyst Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
- Environmental Technology Innovation Center of Jiande, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Shen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Afruza Begum
- Environmental Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | | | - Jinkai Xue
- Environmental Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
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Li C, He W, Liang D, Tian Y, Shankar Yadav R, Liu J, Feng Y. Power density of microbial electrochemical system responds to mass transfer characters of non-ion-selective microbial separator. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 311:123478. [PMID: 32446232 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The microbial separator (MS) was promising alternative of ion exchange membrane for biocathode microbial electrochemical system (MES). Four microbial separators developed from porous matrixes were equipped in biocathode MESs. The power generation of MESs responded to cross-separator transfer characters of ions, dissolved oxygen (DO) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The MES with carbon felt (CF) obtained 31% higher maximum power density at 70 ± 3 mW m-2 and 51% higher current density at 271 ± 21 mA m-2 than those of cation exchange membrane (CEM) separator. All MSs showed higher ionic conductivity than CEM. However, the power variation was mainly due to cathodic equilibrium potential changes rather than internal resistance. The power density demonstrated negative correlation with mass transfer coefficients of DO and COD. The cross-separator transfer of COD caused cathode variation and was identified as the primary parameter for further optimization of MES with microbial separators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Weihua He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - DanDan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Ravi Shankar Yadav
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Junfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, China.
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Wang AJ, Wang HC, Cheng HY, Liang B, Liu WZ, Han JL, Zhang B, Wang SS. Electrochemistry-stimulated environmental bioremediation: Development of applicable modular electrode and system scale-up. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 3:100050. [PMID: 36159603 PMCID: PMC9488061 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2020.100050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have been studied extensively during the past decades owing primarily to their versatility and potential in addressing the water-energy-resource nexus. In stark contrast to the significant advancements that have been made in developing innovative processes for pollution control and bioresource/bioenergy recovery, minimal progress has been achieved in demonstrating the feasibility of BESs in scaled-up applications. This lack of scaled-up demonstration could be ascribed to the absence of suitable electrode modules (EMs) engineered for large-scale application. In this study, we report a scalable composite-engineered EM (total volume of 1 m3), fabricated using graphite-coated stainless steel and carbon felt, that allows integrating BESs into mainstream wastewater treatment technologies. The cost-effectiveness and easy scalability of this EM provides a viable and clear path to facilitate the transition between the success of the lab studies and applications of BESs to solve multiple pressing environmental issues at full-scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Jie Wang
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, PR China
- Corresponding author. School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, 518055, PR China..
| | - Hong-Cheng Wang
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Hao-Yi Cheng
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Bin Liang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, PR China
| | - Wen-Zong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, PR China
| | - Jing-Long Han
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, PR China
| | - Shu-Sen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, PR China
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48
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Cecconet D, Sabba F, Devecseri M, Callegari A, Capodaglio AG. In situ groundwater remediation with bioelectrochemical systems: A critical review and future perspectives. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 137:105550. [PMID: 32086076 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater contamination is an ever-growing environmental issue that has attracted much and undiminished attention for the past half century. Groundwater contamination may originate from both anthropogenic (e.g., hydrocarbons) and natural compounds (e.g., nitrate and arsenic); to tackle the removal of these contaminants, different technologies have been developed and implemented. Recently, bioelectrochemical systems (BES) have emerged as a potential treatment for groundwater contamination, with reported in situ applications that showed promising results. Nitrate and hydrocarbons (toluene, phenanthrene, benzene, BTEX and light PAHs) have been successfully removed, due to the interaction of microbial metabolism with poised electrodes, in addition to physical migration due to the electric field generated in a BES. The selection of proper BESs relies on several factors and problems, such as the complexity of groundwater and subsoil environment, scale-up issues, and energy requirements that need to be accounted for. Modeling efforts could help predict case scenarios and select a proper design and approach, while BES-based biosensing could help monitoring remediation processes. In this review, we critically analyze in situ BES applications for groundwater remediation, focusing in particular on different proposed setups, and we identify and discuss the existing research gaps in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Cecconet
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Fabrizio Sabba
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Matyas Devecseri
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Arianna Callegari
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea G Capodaglio
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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49
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Chu N, Liang Q, Jiang Y, Zeng RJ. Microbial electrochemical platform for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals. Biosens Bioelectron 2020; 150:111922. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2019.111922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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50
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Hiegemann H, Littfinski T, Krimmler S, Lübken M, Klein D, Schmelz KG, Ooms K, Pant D, Wichern M. Performance and inorganic fouling of a submergible 255 L prototype microbial fuel cell module during continuous long-term operation with real municipal wastewater under practical conditions. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2019; 294:122227. [PMID: 31610498 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A submergible 255 L prototype MFC module was operated under practical conditions with municipal wastewater having a large share in industrial discharges for 98 days to investigate the performance of two of the largest, ever investigated multi-panel stainless steel/activated carbon air cathodes (85 × 85 cm). At a flow rate of 144 L/d, power density of 78 mW/m2Cat (317 mW/m3) and COD, TSS and TN removal of 41 ± 16 %, 36 ± 16 % and 18 ± 14 %, respectively, were reached. Observed Coulombic efficiency and substrate-specific energy recovery were 29.5 ± 14 % and 0.184 ± 0.125 kWhel/kgCOD,deg, respectively. High salt content of wastewater (TDS = 2.8 g/L) led to severe inorganic fouling causing a drastic decline in power output and energy recovery of more than 90 % in the course of experiments. Mechanical cleaning of the cathodes restored only 22 % (17 mW/m2Cat) of the power output and did not improve nutrient removal or energy recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinz Hiegemann
- Institute of Urban Water Management and Environmental Engineering, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Fakultät für Bau- und Umweltingenieurwissenschaften, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany; Emschergenossenschaft / Lippeverband, Kronprinzenstr. 24, 45128 Essen, Germany.
| | - Tobias Littfinski
- Institute of Urban Water Management and Environmental Engineering, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Fakultät für Bau- und Umweltingenieurwissenschaften, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Stefan Krimmler
- Institute of Urban Water Management and Environmental Engineering, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Fakultät für Bau- und Umweltingenieurwissenschaften, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Manfred Lübken
- Institute of Urban Water Management and Environmental Engineering, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Fakultät für Bau- und Umweltingenieurwissenschaften, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Daniel Klein
- Emschergenossenschaft / Lippeverband, Kronprinzenstr. 24, 45128 Essen, Germany
| | - Karl-Georg Schmelz
- Emschergenossenschaft / Lippeverband, Kronprinzenstr. 24, 45128 Essen, Germany
| | - Kristoffer Ooms
- Research Institute for Water and Waste Management at RWTH Aachen (FiW) e.V., Kackertstr. 15 - 17, 52072 Aachen, Germany
| | - Deepak Pant
- Separation & Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Marc Wichern
- Institute of Urban Water Management and Environmental Engineering, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Fakultät für Bau- und Umweltingenieurwissenschaften, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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