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Simultaneous organics removal and bio-electrochemical denitrification in microbial fuel cells

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Abstract

Simultaneous organics removal and bio-electrochemical denitrification using a microbial fuel cell (MFC) reactor were investigated in this study. The electrons produced as a result of the microbial oxidation of glucose in the anodic chamber were transferred to the anode, which then flowed to the cathode in the cathodic chamber through a wire, where microorganisms used the transferred electrons to reduce the nitrate. The highest power output obtained on the MFCs was 1.7 mW/m2 at a current density of 15 mA/m2. The maximum volumetric nitrate removal rate was 0.084 mg NO3 −–N cm−2 (electrode surface area) day−1. The coulombic efficiency was about 7%, which demonstrated that a substantial fraction of substrate was lost without current generation.

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Acknowledgments

This subject is supported by Korea Ministry of Environment as “The Eco-technopia 21 project”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering and Biotechnology, Myongji University, San 38-2 Namdong, Yongin, Kyonggido, 449-728, Republic of Korea

    Yu-Hong Jia, Hung-Thuan Tran, Dae-Hee Kim, Se-Jin Oh & Dae-Hee Ahn

  2. Department of Biological Engineering, Seokyeong University, 16-1 Jungneung-dong, Sungbuk-gu, Seoul, 136-704, Republic of Korea

    Doo-Hyun Park

  3. Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Rui-Hong Zhang

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  1. Yu-Hong Jia
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  2. Hung-Thuan Tran
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  3. Dae-Hee Kim
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  4. Se-Jin Oh
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  5. Doo-Hyun Park
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Correspondence to Dae-Hee Ahn.

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Jia, YH., Tran, HT., Kim, DH. et al. Simultaneous organics removal and bio-electrochemical denitrification in microbial fuel cells. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 31, 315–321 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-007-0164-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-007-0164-6

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