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Microbial fuel cell assisted nitrate nitrogen removal using cow manure and soil

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Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are emerging wastewater treatment systems with a proven potential for denitrification. In this study, we have developed a high-rate denitrifying MFC. The anode consisted of cow manure and fruit waste and the cathode consisted of cow manure and soil. The initial chemical oxygen demand (COD)/nitrate nitrogen (NO3 −-N) was varied from 2 to 40 at the cathode while keeping the anode ratio fixed at 100. NO3 −-N removal rate of 7.1 ± 0.9 kg NO3 −-N/m3 net cathodic compartment (NCC)/day was achieved at cathode COD/NO3 −-N ratio 7.31 with the current density of 190 ± 9.1 mA/m2 and power density of 31.92 ± 4 mW/m2 of electrode surface area. We achieved an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 410 ± 20 mV at initial cathodic NO3 −-N of 0.345 g/l. The cathode COD/NO3 −-N ratio had a significant influence on MFC’s OCV and nitrate removal rate. Lower OCV (<150 mV) and NO3 −-N removal rates were observed at COD/NO3 −-N ratio >12 and <7. Experiments done at different cathode pH values indicated that the optimum pH for denitrification was 7. Under optimized biochemical conditions, nitrate removal rate of 6.5 kg NO3 −-N/m3 net cathodic compartment (NCC)/day and power density of 210 mW/m2 were achieved in a low resistance MFC. The present study thus demonstrates the utility of MFCs for the treatment of high nitrate wastes.

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Acknowledgments

Author MC gratefully acknowledges Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), Department of Atomic energy (DAE), Government of India for financial support. Author AV thanks the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India for her fellowship. Dr. Tessy Vincent from DAE is gratefully acknowledged for thoroughly reading the manuscript and Dr. SKS Sahoo from DAE is acknowledged for his timely support. All the authors thanks Mr. Bharat Pareek for his timely support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Technology–Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 342011, India

    Ankisha Vijay, Monika Vaishnava & Meenu Chhabra

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  1. Ankisha Vijay
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  2. Monika Vaishnava
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  3. Meenu Chhabra
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Correspondence to Meenu Chhabra.

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Vijay, A., Vaishnava, M. & Chhabra, M. Microbial fuel cell assisted nitrate nitrogen removal using cow manure and soil. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 7744–7756 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5934-0

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