Simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and carbon removal in microbial fuel cells.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can use nitrate as a cathodic electron acceptor, allowing for simultaneous removal of carbon (at the anode) and nitrogen (at the cathode). In this study, we supplemented the cathodic process with in situ nitrification through specific aeration, and thus obtained simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) in the one half-cell. Synthetic wastewater containing acetate and ammonium was supplied to the anode; the effluent was subsequently directed to the cathode. The influence of oxygen levels and carbon/nitrogen concentrations and ratios on the system performances was investigated. Denitrification occurred simultaneously with nitrification at the cathode, producing an effluent with levels of nitrate and ammonium as low as 1.0+/-0.5 mg N L(-1) and 2.13+/-0.05 mg N L(-1), respectively, resulting in a nitrogen removal efficiency of 94.1+/-0.9%. The integration of the nitrification process into the cathode solves the drawback of ammonium losses due to diffusion between compartments in the MFC, as previously reported in a system operating with external nitrification stage. This work represents the first successful attempt to combine SND and organics oxidation while producing electricity in an MFC.

[1]  Zhiguo Yuan,et al.  Microbial fuel cells for simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal. , 2008, Water research.

[2]  A. Chao,et al.  Control of carbon and ammonium ratio for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in a sequencing batch bioreactor , 2007 .

[3]  C. Buisman,et al.  Towards practical implementation of bioelectrochemical wastewater treatment. , 2008, Trends in biotechnology.

[4]  H. D. Stensel,et al.  Design and retrofit of wastewater treatment plants for biological nutrient removal , 1992 .

[5]  R. Zeng,et al.  Simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal in a lab‐scale sequencing batch reactor , 2003, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[6]  Derek R Lovley,et al.  Graphite electrodes as electron donors for anaerobic respiration. , 2004, Environmental microbiology.

[7]  Bruce E. Rittmann,et al.  Simultaneous denitrification with nitrification in single-channel oxidation ditches , 1985 .

[8]  Y. Yoo,et al.  Biological nitrate removal in industrial wastewater treatment: which electron donor we can choose , 2009, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[9]  M. Dorigo,et al.  Development of a novel titration and off-gas analysis (TOGA) sensor for study of biological processes in wastewater treatment systems. , 2003, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[10]  Young-Ho Ahn,et al.  Sustainable nitrogen elimination biotechnologies: A review , 2006 .

[11]  Willy Verstraete,et al.  Litre-scale microbial fuel cells operated in a complete loop , 2009, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[12]  Joseph F. Malina,et al.  Water quality management library , 1992 .

[13]  J. Keller,et al.  Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in bench-scale sequencing batch reactors , 1996 .

[14]  Jurg Keller,et al.  Non-catalyzed cathodic oxygen reduction at graphite granules in microbial fuel cells , 2007 .

[15]  Y. Watanabe,et al.  Biofilm Properties and Simultaneous Nitrification and Denitrification in Aerobic Rotating Biological Contactors , 1991 .

[16]  J. Keller,et al.  Study of factors affecting simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) , 1999 .

[17]  H. D. Stensel,et al.  Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse , 2002 .

[18]  M. Aroua,et al.  Bio-electrochemical removal of nitrate from water and wastewater--a review. , 2008, Bioresource technology.

[19]  Tian C. Zhang,et al.  Sulfur :limestone autotrophic denitrification processes for treatment of nitrate-contaminated water : Batch experiments , 1999 .

[20]  R. Cord-Ruwisch,et al.  Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification using stored substrate (phb) as the electron donor in an SBR , 2003, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[21]  Zhiguo Yuan,et al.  Sequential anode-cathode configuration improves cathodic oxygen reduction and effluent quality of microbial fuel cells. , 2008, Water research.

[22]  Zhiguo Yuan,et al.  Electron fluxes in a microbial fuel cell performing carbon and nitrogen removal. , 2009, Environmental science & technology.

[23]  Zhiguo Yuan,et al.  Obtaining highly enriched cultures of Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphates through alternating carbon sources. , 2006, Water research.

[24]  Y. Sakakibara,et al.  Electric prompting and control of denitrification. , 1993, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[25]  Willy Verstraete,et al.  Biological denitrification in microbial fuel cells. , 2007, Environmental science & technology.