Ourania Dimou, John Andresen, Veyacheslav Feodorovich et al.

New Biotechnology • 2014

Cuijie Feng, Anyi Hu, Shaohua Chen et al.

Bioresource Technology • 2013

Bench-scale decentralized wastewater treatment systems using microbial fuel cell (MFC) techniques were constructed for simultaneous removal of carbonaceous and nitrogenous pollutants and electricity production from wastewater. The MFC was operated in continuous mode and immobilized Paracoccus pantotrophus cells were added in the cathodic compartment to achieve simultaneous nitrification-denitrification. After 150-day operation, the MFC system could effectively remove >96% COD and 100% ammonium, with 60-80% total nitrogen removal and around 0.2V voltage production. The results of copper (Cu) shock load showed that although 125 mg L(-1) Cu (II) would deteriorate the effluent quality and completely inhibit the electricity production, the microbial populations restored their ability to treat wastewater and produce electricity after a period around 30 days. Community analysis by the 454 pyrosequencing technique showed that the microbial compositions were significantly different and decreased in diversity after the Cu shock load.

HeYan Gu, XingWang Zhang, ZhongJian Li et al.

Chinese Science Bulletin • 2007

A. Borole, R. Campbell

• 2011

Emerging evidence indicates that the cellular electromagnetic field regulates the fundamental physics of cell biology. The electromagnetic oscillations and synchronization of biomolecules triggered by the internal and external pulses serve as the physical basis of the cellular electromagnetic field. Recent studies have indicated that centrosomes, a small organelle in eukaryotic cells that organize spindle microtubules during mitosis, also function as a nano-electronic generator in cells. Additionally, cellular electromagnetic fields are defined by cell types and correlated to the epigenetic status of the cell. These interactions between tissue-specific electromagnetic fields and chromatin fibers of progenitor cells regulate cell differentiation and organ sizes. The same mechanism is implicated in the regulation of tissue homeostasis and morphological adaptation in evolution. Intercellular electromagnetic interactions also regulate the migratory behaviors of cells and the morphogenesis programs of neural circuits. The process is closely linked with centrosome function and intercellular communication of the electromagnetic fields of microtubule filaments. Clearly, more and more evidence has shown the importance of cellular electromagnetic fields in regulatory processes. Furthermore, a detailed understanding of the physical nature of the inter- and intracellular electromagnetic interactions will better our understanding of fundamental biological questions and a wide range of biological processes.

Li Zhuang, Yu Zheng, Shungui Zhou et al.

Bioresource Technology • 2012

A tubular air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) stack with high scalability and low material cost was constructed and the ability of simultaneous real wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation was investigated under continuous flow mode. At the two organic loading rates (ORLs) tested (1.2 and 4.9kg COD/m(3)d), five non-Pt MFCs connected in series and parallel circuit modes treating swine wastewater can enable an increase of the voltage and the current. The parallel stack retained high power output and the series connection underwent energy loss due to the substrate cross-conduction effect. With continuous electricity production, the parallel stack achieved 83.8% of COD removal and 90.8% of NH(4)(+)-N removal at 1.2kg COD/m(3)d, and 77.1% COD removal and 80.7% NH(4)(+)-N removal at 4.9kg COD/m(3)d. The MFC stack system in this study was demonstrated to be able to treat real wastewater with the added benefit of harvesting electricity energy.

Shashikanth Gajaraj, Zhiqiang Hu

Chemosphere • 2014

Bioelectrochemical systems are emerging for wastewater treatment, yet little is known about how well they can be integrated with current wastewater treatment processes. In this bench-scale study, the microbial fuel cell (MFC) technique was incorporated into the Modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) process (phase I) and later with the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process (phase II) to evaluate the performance of MFC assisted wastewater treatment systems (i.e., MLE-MFC and MBR-MFC). There was no significant difference in the effluent NH4(+)-N concentration between the systems integrating MFC and the open circuit controls. The average effluent COD concentration was significantly lower in the MLE-MFC, but it did not change much in the MBR-MFC because of the already low COD concentrations in MBR operation. The MLE-MFC and MBR-MFC systems increased the NO3(-)-N removal efficiencies by 31% (±12%) and 20% (±12%), respectively, and reduced sludge production by 11% and 6%, respectively, while generating an average voltage of 0.13 (±0.03) V in both systems. Analysis of the bacterial specific oxygen uptake rate, the sludge volume index, and ammonia-oxidizing bacterial population (dominated by Nitrosomonas through terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis) indicated that there was no significant difference in sludge activity, settling property, and nitrifying community structure between the MFC assisted systems and the open circuit controls. The results suggest that the wastewater treatment systems could achieve higher effluent water quality and lower sludge production if it is integrated well with MFC techniques.

Ignacio Durruty, Pablo Sebastián Bonanni, Jorge Froilan González et al.

Bioresource Technology • 2012

Wastewaters from potato-processing industries have been traditionally treated by a sequence of steps that include the production of methane as the anaerobic one. This work explores the feasibility of replacing or supplementing methanogenesis with the emerging technology of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Electricity producing biofilms have been enriched from a real anaerobic sludge, and the conversion of potato-processing wastewater into electricity has been studied. When tested as a single treatment step, MFCs were able to process the wastewater with high COD removal but with low energetic conversion efficiency. On the other hand, as a complimentary step for methanogenesis, they improved conversion efficiency and significantly reduced the organic matter load of the final effluent. These results point at the combination of the energetic yield of methanogenesis and the improved COD removal of the electricity producing treatment as the implementation choice.

Zhongjian Li, Xingwang Zhang, Lecheng Lei

Process Biochemistry • 2008

Udayarka Karra, Elizabeth Troop, Michael Curtis et al.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy • 2013

E. Elakkiya, Manickam Matheswaran

Bioresource Technology • 2013

Energy generation from dairy industry wastewater was investigated using a dual chambered Microbial Fuel Cell by aerobic and anaerobic anodic metabolism, operating with initial COD concentration of 1600 mg/L and anolyte pH of 7 produced highest power density of 192, 161 mW/m(2) and volumetric power of 3.2, 2.7 W/m(3) with COD removal efficiency of 91% and 90%, respectively. The columbic efficiency was 3.7-folds lower for aerobic metabolism compared to anaerobic metabolism with 17.17%. Effect of operating parameters such as anolyte pH and COD concentration on MFC performance was also evaluated. Anaerobic metabolism operated with COD concentration of 1600 mg/L and anolyte pH 7 showed best performances. Biofilm formation by inherent microbes of wastewater on anode was visualized by instrumental techniques. Milk processing operation runs almost through the year, hence MFC utilizing dairy industry wastewater would be a sustainable and reliable source of bio-energy generation.

Fuel Cells Bulletin • 2005

V. Vineetha, K. Shibu

2013 International Conference on Energy Efficient Technologies for Sustainability • 2013

Liliana Alzate-Gaviria

Waste Water - Treatment and Reutilization • 2011

Michael W. Ellis

Water Intelligence Online • 2010

Takefumi Shimoyama, Shoko Komukai, Akira Yamazawa et al.

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology • 2008

A new highly scalable microbial fuel cell (MFC) design, consisting of a series of cassette electrodes (CE), was examined for increasing power production from organic matter in wastewater. Each CE chamber was composed of a box-shaped flat cathode (two air cathodes on both sides) sandwiched in between two proton-exchange membranes and two graphite-felt anodes. Due to the simple design of the CE-MFC, multiple cassettes can be combined to form a single unit and inserted into a tank to treat wastewater. A 12-chamber CE-MFC was tested using a synthetic wastewater containing starch, peptone, and fish extract. Stable performance was obtained after 15 days of operation in fed-batch mode, with an organic removal efficiency of 95% at an organic loading rate of 2.9 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD) per cubic meter per day and an efficiency of 93% at 5.8 kg COD per cubic meter per day. Power production was stable during this period, reaching maximum power densities of 129 W m(-3) (anode volume) and 899 mW m(-2) (anode projected area). The internal resistance of CE-MFC decreased from 2.9 (day 4) to 0.64 Omega (day 25). These results demonstrate the usefulness of the CE-MFC design for energy production and organic wastewater treatment.

Tian-Shun Song, Zai-Sheng Yan, Zhi-Wei Zhao et al.

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering • 2011

In this work, sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) with granule activated carbon (GAC) cathode and stainless steel anode was constructed in laboratory tests and various factors on SMFC power output were investigated. The maximum power densities for the SMFC with GAC cathode was 3.5 mW m(-2), it was much higher than SMFC with round stainless steel cathode. Addition of cellulose reduced the output power from SMFC at the beginning of experiments, while the output power was found to increase after adding cellulose to sediments on day 90 of operation. On 160 day, maximum power density from the SMFC with adding 0.2% cellulose reached to 11.2 mW m(-2). In addition, the surface morphology of stainless steel anode on day 90 was analyzed by scanning electron microscope. It was found that the protection layer of the stainless steel as electrode in SMFCs was destroyed to some extent.

David Richardson

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature • 2003

Qing Wen, Ying Wu, Lixin Zhao et al.

Fuel • 2010

H Izanloo, K Naddafi, M Khazaei et al.

Journal of North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences • 2014

Abid Hussain, Serge R. Guiot, Punita Mehta et al.

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology • 2011

Electricity generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has been a subject of significant research efforts. MFCs employ the ability of electricigenic bacteria to oxidize organic substrates using an electrode as an electron acceptor. While MFC application for electricity production from a variety of organic sources has been demonstrated, very little research on electricity production from carbon monoxide and synthesis gas (syngas) in an MFC has been reported. Although most of the syngas today is produced from non-renewable sources, syngas production from renewable biomass or poorly degradable organic matter makes energy generation from syngas a sustainable process, which combines energy production with the reprocessing of solid wastes. An MFC-based process of syngas conversion to electricity might offer a number of advantages such as high Coulombic efficiency and biocatalytic activity in the presence of carbon monoxide and sulfur components. This paper presents a discussion on microorganisms and reactor designs that can be used for operating an MFC on syngas.

Weifang Kong, Qingjie Guo, Xuyun Wang et al.

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research • 2011

A single-chambered packing-type anaerobic fluidized microbial fuel cell (AFBMFC) with coking wastewater (CWW) as fuel was built to treat CWW, which not only has high treating efficiency, but also can convert organic matter in wastewater into electricity. AFBMFC was constructed by using anaerobic sludge that was domesticated as inoculation sludge, which was used to biochemically treat CWW. The organic compounds in CWW were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction step by step every day. The extraction phase was concentrated by a rotary evaporator and a nitrogen sweeping device and was analyzed by GC-MS. And the electricity-generation performances of AFBMFC were investigated. The results show that the composition of CWW was complicated, which mainly contains hydrocarbons, phenols, nitrogenous organic compounds, alcohols and aldehydes, esters and acids and so on. After a cycle of anaerobic biochemical treatment, the content of organic compounds in the effluent decreased significantly. After the treatment of AFBMFC, 99.9% phenols, 98.4% alcohol and aldehydes and 95.3% nitrogenous compounds were biodegraded. In the effluent, some new compounds (such as tricosane and dibutyl phthalate) were produced. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) of CWW decreased from 3372 to 559 mg/L in the closed-circuit microbial fuel cell, and the COD removal was 83.4 ± 1.0%. The maximum power density of AFBMFC was 2.13 ± 0.01 mW m -2 .

Fang Fang, Guo-Long Zang, Min Sun et al.

Applied Energy • 2013

In Ho Park, G. Gnana Kumar, Ae Rhan Kim et al.

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2010

Abstract not Available.

Na Lu, Shun-gui Zhou, Li Zhuang et al.

Biochemical Engineering Journal • 2009

Yu ZHAO, Yan MA, Ting LI et al.

Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology • 2014

P. Kaewkannetra, W. Chiwes, T.Y. Chiu

Fuel • 2011

Guo Kun Guo Kun, D. J. Hassett, T. Y. Gu

Microbial biotechnology: energy and environment • 2011

Zhen He, Shelley D. Minteer, Largus T. Angenent

Environmental Science & Technology • 2005

The upflow microbial fuel cell (UMFC) was developed to generate electricity while simultaneously treating wastewater. During a five-month period of feeding a sucrose solution as the electron donor, the UMFC continuously generated electricity with a maximum power density of 170 mW/m2. To achieve this power density, the artificial electron-mediator hexacyanoferrate was required in the cathode chamber. The power density increased with increasing chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rates up to 2.0 g COD/ L/day after which no further increases in power density were observed, indicating the presence of limiting factors. The overarching limiting factor for the UMFC in this study was the internal resistance, which was estimated as 84 omega at the maximum power density, and restricted the power output by causing a significant decrease in operating potential. Low Coulombic efficiencies varying from 0.7 to 8.1% implied that the electron-transfer bacteria were incapable of converting all of the available organics into electricity, so the excessive substrate created niches for the growth of methanogens. We found that the soluble COD (SCOD) removal efficiencies remained over 90% throughout the operational period, mainly because of methanogenic activity, which accounted for 35 to 58% of the SCOD removed at a loading rate of 1.0 g COD/L/ day. Additionally, transport limitation due to insufficient substrate diffusion was shown by cyclic voltammetry (CV).

Shafeer Kalathil, Jintae Lee, Moo Hwan Cho

New Biotechnology • 2011

Decolorization of dye wastewater before discharge is pivotal because of its immense color and toxicities. In this study, a granular activated carbon based microbial fuel cell (GACB-MFC) was used without using any expensive materials like Nafion membrane and platinum catalyst for simultaneous decolorization of real dye wastewater and bioelectricity generation. After 48 hours of GACB-MFC operation, 73% color was removed at anode and 77% color was removed at cathode. COD removal was 71% at the anode and 76% at the cathode after 48 hours. Toxicity measurements showed that cathode effluent was almost nontoxic after 24 hours. The anode effluent was threefold less toxic compared to original dye wastewater after 48 hours. The GACB-MFC produced a power density of 1.7 W/m(3) with an open circuit voltage 0.45 V. One of the advantages of the GACB-MFC system is that pH was automatically adjusted from 12.4 to 7.2 and 8.0 at the anode and cathode during 48 hours operation.

Bin Hou, Jian Sun, Yongyou Hu

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology • 2011

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of enrichment procedure on the performance and microbial diversity of an air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) which was explored for simultaneous azo dye decolorization and electricity generation. Two different enrichment procedures in which glucose and Congo red were added into the MFCs sequentially (EP1) or simultaneously (EP2) were tested by operating parallel MFCs independently for more than 6 months. The power density, electrode potential, Congo red decolorization, biofilm morphology, and bacterial diversity of the MFCs under the two enrichment procedures were compared and investigated. The results showed that the enrichment procedures have a negligible effect on the dye decolorization, but significantly affected the electricity generation. More than 90% decolorization at dye concentration of 300 mg/L was achieved within 170 h for the two tested enrichment procedures. However, the MFC with EP2 achieved a maximum power density of 192 mW/m(2), which was 75% higher than that of the MFC with EP1 (110 mW/m(2)). The depressed surfaces of the bacteria in the MFC with EP1 indicated the allergic response caused by the subsequent addition of Congo red. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis demonstrated a phylogenetic diversity in the communities of the anode biofilm and showed clear differences between the anode-attached populations in the MFCs with a different enrichment procedure. This study suggests that the enrichment procedure is important for the MFC explored for simultaneous dye decolorization and electricity generation.

Liping Huang, Bruce E. Logan

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology • 2008

Increased interest in sustainable agriculture and bio-based industries requires that we find more energy-efficient methods for treating cellulose-containing wastewaters. We examined the effectiveness of simultaneous electricity production and treatment of a paper recycling plant wastewater using microbial fuel cells. Treatment efficiency was limited by wastewater conductivity. When a 50 mM phosphate buffer solution (PBS, 5.9 mS/cm) was added to the wastewater, power densities reached 501+/-20 mW/m2, with a coulombic efficiency of 16+/-2%. There was efficient removal of soluble organic matter, with 73+/-1% removed based on soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and only slightly greater total removal (76+/-4%) based on total COD (TCOD) over a 500-h batch cycle. Cellulose was nearly completely removed (96+/-1%) during treatment. Further increasing the conductivity (100 mM PBS) increased power to 672+/-27 mW/m2. In contrast, only 144+/-7 mW/m2 was produced using an unamended wastewater (0.8 mS/cm) with TCOD, SCOD, and cellulose removals of 29+/-1%, 51+/-2%, and 16+/-1% (350-h batch cycle). These results demonstrate limitations to treatment efficiencies with actual wastewaters caused by solution conductivity compared to laboratory experiments under more optimal conditions.

Qing Wen, Ying Wu, Dianxue Cao et al.

Bioresource Technology • 2009

Electricity production and modeling of microbial fuel cell (MFC) from continuous beer brewery wastewater was studied in this paper. A single air-cathode MFC was constructed, carbon fiber was used as anode and diluted brewery wastewater (COD=626.58 mg/L) as substrate. The MFC displayed an open-circuit voltage of 0.578 V and a maximum power density of 9.52 W/m(3) (264 mW/m(2)). Using the model based on polarization curve, various voltage losses were quantified. At current density of 1.79 A/m(2), reaction kinetic loss and mass transport loss both achieved to 0.248 V; while ohmic loss was 0.046 V. Results demonstrated that it was feasible and stable for producing bioelectricity from brewery wastewater; while the most important factors which influenced the performance of the MFC are reaction kinetic loss and mass transport loss.

Junqiu Jiang, Qingliang Zhao, Jinna Zhang et al.

Bioresource Technology • 2009

A two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) with potassium ferricyanide as its electron acceptor was utilized to degrade excess sewage sludge and to generate electricity. Stable electrical power was produced continuously during operation for 250 h. Total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) of sludge was reduced by 46.4% when an initial TCOD was 10,850 mg/l. The MFC power output did not significantly depend on process parameters such as substrate concentration, cathode catholyte concentration, and anodic pH. However, the MFC produced power was in close correlation with the soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) of sludge. Furthermore, ultrasonic pretreatment of sludge accelerated organic matter dissolution and, hence, TCOD removal rate in the MFC was increased, but power output was insignificantly enhanced. This study demonstrates that this MFC can generate electricity from sewage sludge over a wide range of process parameters.

Durgesh S. Songera, Akshay Kabra, Ashish Choudhary

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2012

Abstract not Available.

Bruce E. Logan, Cassandro Murano, Keith Scott et al.

Water Research • 2005

In a microbial fuel cell (MFC), power can be generated from the oxidation of organic matter by bacteria at the anode, with reduction of oxygen at the cathode. Proton exchange membranes used in MFCs are permeable to oxygen, resulting in the diffusion of oxygen into the anode chamber. This could either lower power generation by obligate anaerobes or result in the loss in electron donor from aerobic respiration by facultative or other aerobic bacteria. In order to maintain anaerobic conditions in conventional anaerobic laboratory cultures, chemical oxygen scavengers such as cysteine are commonly used. It is shown here that cysteine can serve as a substrate for electricity generation by bacteria in a MFC. A two-chamber MFC containing a proton exchange membrane was inoculated with an anaerobic marine sediment. Over a period of a few weeks, electricity generation gradually increased to a maximum power density of 19 mW/m(2) (700 or 1000 Omega resistor; 385 mg/L of cysteine). Power output increased to 39 mW/m(2) when cysteine concentrations were increased up to 770 mg/L (493 Omega resistor). The use of a more active cathode with Pt- or Pt-Ru, increased the maximum power from 19 to 33 mW/m(2) demonstrating that cathode efficiency limited power generation. Power was always immediately generated upon addition of fresh medium, but initial power levels consistently increased by ca. 30% during the first 24 h. Electron recovery as electricity was 14% based on complete cysteine oxidation, with an additional 14% (28% total) potentially lost to oxygen diffusion through the proton exchange membrane. 16S rRNA-based analysis of the biofilm on the anode of the MFC indicated that the predominant organisms were Shewanella spp. closely related to Shewanella affinis (37% of 16S rRNA gene sequences recovered in clone libraries).

Xiaoxin Cao, Xia Huang, Nico Boon et al.

Electrochemistry Communications • 2008

Hamid Rismani-Yazdi, Ann D. Christy, Burk A. Dehority et al.

2006 Portland, Oregon, July 9-12, 2006 • 2006

Yuelong Huang, Zhen He, Jinjun Kan et al.

Bioresource Technology • 2012

A floating microbial fuel cell (FMFC) has been designed and its performance has been evaluated for 153 days. The power output gradually increased to a maximum value of 390 mW/m(3) at 125 days. The polarization resistance of the anode (R(p)(a)) changed with operating time reaching a minimum value at 125 days, while the polarization resistance of the cathode (R(p)(c)) was relatively constant and much smaller than R(p)(a). It has been demonstrated that the observed changes of the internal resistance (R(int)) and the maximum power (P(max)) with exposure time were mainly due to the changes of R(p)(a). Compared with sediment MFCs for which the anode is embedded in marine or river sediments, the application of the FMFC, which could be installed in a buoy, is not limited by the depth of the ocean. The FMFC has the potential to supply electricity to low-power consuming electronic devices at remote locations.

Emmanuel P. Leano, Sandhya Babel

2011 IEEE Conference on Clean Energy and Technology (CET) • 2011

Shikhi Shrivastava Rani Ayachi

International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) • 2012