Improving performance of microbial fuel cell by enhanced bacterial-anode interaction using sludge immobilized beads with activated carbon

[Display omitted] •Anode made of activated carbon (AC) and alginate bead in microbial fuel cell (MFC).•Beads made with alginate, AC and sludge made efficient anode for microbial fuel cell.•MFC with alginate bead and both AC and sludge as anode gave highest power density.•Enhanced bacterial-electrode...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Process safety and environmental protection 2020-11, Vol.143, p.285-292
Main Authors: Neethu, B., Bhowmick, G.D., Ghangrekar, M.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activated carbon
Activated sludge
Alginic acid
Anode sludge
Bacteria
Bacterial-anode interaction
Beads
Biochemical fuel cells
Cages
Carbon
Chemical oxygen demand
Electrode materials
Electrodes
Electron transfer
Fuel cells
Fuel technology
Inoculum
Maximum power density
Microbial fuel cells
Microorganisms
Performance evaluation
Sludge
Sodium alginate
Sodium alginate beads
Stainless steels
Wastewater treatment
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Summary:[Display omitted] •Anode made of activated carbon (AC) and alginate bead in microbial fuel cell (MFC).•Beads made with alginate, AC and sludge made efficient anode for microbial fuel cell.•MFC with alginate bead and both AC and sludge as anode gave highest power density.•Enhanced bacterial-electrode interaction caused improvement in performance of MFC.•Synthesised anode was seventeen folds cheaper than carbon felt anode. Performance of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) is greatly influenced by capability of anode material in promoting attachment of electrogenic bacteria on its surface, which assists in higher electron transfer with minimal electrode resistance. In this investigation, feasibility of different anode materials made of stainless-steel (SS) mesh cage filled with sodium alginate beads matrix containing either bacterial inoculum (Ic) or activated carbon (AC) or combination of both (AC-Ic) was evaluated and performance was compared with MFCs operated with bare carbon felt and SS mesh as an anode material. Superior performance was exhibited by MFC having anode containing bead matrix with AC-Ic in SS mesh cage, which exhibited a maximum power density of 2.6 W/m3 and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 91.6 ± 2.1 % due to enhanced bacterial-electrode interaction. Furthermore, the cost of bead-based electrodes was seventeen folds cheaper than carbon felt electrode, making it ideal for pilot-scale MFCs.
ISSN:0957-5820
1744-3598
DOI:10.1016/j.psep.2020.06.043