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Functional collaboration of biofilm-cathode electrode and microbial fuel cell for biodegradation of methyl orange and simultaneous bioelectricity generation

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Abstract

A distinctive process (BCE-MFC) was developed to explore the methyl orange (MO) degradation and simultaneous bioelectricity generation based on the functional collaboration of biofilm, electrolysis, constructed wetland, and microbial fuel cell. The biofilm-cathode electrode–microbial fuel cell (BCE-MFC) was capable of sustaining an excellent MO removal (100%) and bioelectricity production (0.63 V). BCE significantly enhanced MO biodegradability, thus resulting in a 56.3% improvement of COD removal in subsequent MFC. Bacillus was dominant in biofilm on cathode in BCE. In MFC, Proteobacteria phylum (64.84%) and Exiguobacterium genus (13.30%) were predominated in the anode region, probably basically responsible for electricity generation. Interestingly, relatively high content of Heliothrix sp. (9.94%) was found in the MFC designed here, which was likely to participate in electricity production as well. The proposed functional collaboration may be an effective strategy in refractory wastewater treatment and power production.

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Funding

This research was supported by the Research Items from the Department of Science and Technology of Anhui Province, China (1604f0704047), and the Special Foundation for Young Scientists of Anhui province, China (gxyqZD2016212).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Resource and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology University, No. 9 Donghua Road, Fengyang, 233100, People’s Republic of China

    Haiming Zou & Yan Wang

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  1. Haiming Zou
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  2. Yan Wang
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Correspondence to Haiming Zou.

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Responsible editor: Bingcai Pan

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Zou, H., Wang, Y. Functional collaboration of biofilm-cathode electrode and microbial fuel cell for biodegradation of methyl orange and simultaneous bioelectricity generation . Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 23061–23069 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05617-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05617-w

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