Three-dimensional electrodes enhance electricity generation and nitrogen removal of microbial fuel cells
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RESEARCH PAPER
Three‑dimensional electrodes enhance electricity generation and nitrogen removal of microbial fuel cells Jun Dong1,2,3 · Yue Wu1,2,3 · Chengye Wang1,2,3 · Haojie Lu4 · Yan Li1,2,3 Received: 15 February 2020 / Accepted: 3 July 2020 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract One of the critical problems for practical application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is the poor electron transfer between microbial cells and anode. Hence, good biocompatibility and high specific surface area of electrodes are indispensable for MFC scale-up. In this study, three-dimensional electrode MFC (3DEMFC) was developed by filling biochar between anode and cathode. Three types of biochar electrodes (biochar, biochar and zeolite mixture, and MgO-modified biochar) were employed, and the performance of 3DEMFCs treating nitrogen in wastewater was investigated. The results showed that the highest power density of MFCs was 4.45 ± 0.21 W m−3 achieved by 3DEMFC filled with MgO-modified biochar, and the overall power generation of 3DEMFCs (2.40 ± 0.28 ~ 4.45 ± 0.21 W m−3) was higher than that of MFC without biochar (1.31 ± 0.24 W m−3). The linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) results also demonstrated biochar addition to MFC was conducive to electron transfer between microbes and anode and MgO-modified biochar presented the highest coulombs transfer ability. Moreover, the highest removal efficiencies of ammonium, total nitrogen, and COD (93.6 ± 3.2%, 84.8 ± 2%, and 91.6 ± 1.3%, respectively) were achieved by 3DEMFC containing MgO-modified biochar, and simultaneous short-cut nitrification and denitrification were observed in MFCs. Furthermore, the SEM images displayed the bacteria adhesion on biochar and the biofilm dry weights of MgO-modified biochar after experiment was the highest of 103 ± 4 mg g−1 among three kinds of biochar electrodes. Therefore, the power generation and nitrogen removal conspicuously enhanced in 3DEMFCs and biochar exhibited excellent biocompatibility and distinct electrochemical performance for MFC practical applications in wastewater treatment. Keywords Three-dimensional electrode microbial fuel cells (3DEMFCs) · Biochar · Nitrogen removal · Power generation · Short-cut nitrification
Introduction Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-020-02402-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * Yan Li [email protected] 1
College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
2
Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment (Jilin University), Ministry of Education, Changchun 130021, China
3
National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Petrochemical Contaminated Site Control and Remediation Technology, Changchun 130021, China
4
Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) has attracted global attention for converting the chemical energy stored in wastewater to electrical energy [
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