•  
  •  
 

Corresponding Author

Yu-jie FENG(yujief@hit.edu.cn)

Abstract

Microbial electrochemical technology (MET) has drawn great attention for its characteristics of synergetic pollution removal and energy recovery of wastewater. In the last decade, significant developments in microbial electrochemical system (MES) have been made in the aspects of electron transfer mechanism, microbial community analysis, function expansion, low-cost electrode materials and scaled-up constructions. However, the feasibility of MET as a wastewater treatment process has been controversial so far. In this paper, the characteristics of MET were systematically compared with anaerobic and aerobic processes from the application point of view in the aspects of pollution degradation and energy recovery processes. The MET-based water treatment technology revealed some comparative advantages for applications because of its low sludge yield rate, energy self-sufficiency operation and current-assisted pollutant removal capability. The better understanding of these advantages would be helpful in finding the proper application scope of MET for wastewater treatment. However, in the process of advancing the practical application of MET, challenges remained require more effort such as the construction simplification, development of low-cost material and maintenance of electrode performance in long-term operation. More considerations were also needed to determine the appropriate application position of MET in a series of water treatment units to overcome shortcomings and take advantages of technical advances.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Microbial Electrochemical Technology, Energy recovery of wastewater, low sludge yield rate, Current assisted substrate removal；Reactor construction, Combined treatment process

Publication Date

2017-06-29

Online Available Date

2017-02-24

Revised Date

2017-02-21

Received Date

2017-01-03

References

[1] Daw J, Hallett K, DeWolfe J, et al. Energy efficiency strategies for municipal wastewater treatment facilities[J]. Contract, 2012, 303: 275-3000.

[2] Wang H M, Ren Z Y J. A comprehensive review of microbial electrochemical systems as a platform technology[J]. Biotechnology Advances, 2013, 31(8): 1796-1807.

[3] Potter M C. Electrical effects accompanying the decomposition of organic compounds[J]. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character, 1911, 84(571): 260-276.

[4] Canfield J, Goldner B, Lutwack R. Utilization of human wastes as electrochemical fuels[J]. NASA Technical Report, Magna Corporation, Anaheim CA p, 1963, 63: 615-616.

[5] Chang I, Moonsik H, Byunghong K, et al. An electrochemical method for enrichment of microorganism, a biosensor for analyzing organic substance and bod[J]. 2002:

[6] Kim H J, Park H S, Hyun M S, et al. A mediator-less microbial fuel cell using a metal reducing bacterium, shewanella putrefaciense[J]. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 2002, 30(2): 145-152.

[7] Liu H, Logan B E. Electricity generation using an air-cathode single chamber microbial fuel cell in the presence and absence of a proton exchange membrane[J]. Environmental Science and Technology, 2004, 38(14): 4040-4046.

[8] Cheng S, Liu H, Logan B E. Increased performance of single-chamber microbial fuel cells using an improved cathode structure[J]. Electrochemistry Communications, 2006, 8(3): 489-494.

[9] Zhang F, Cheng S, Pant D. Power generation using an activated carbon and metal mesh cathode in a microbial fuel cell[J]. Electrochemistry Communications, 2009, 11(11): 2177-2179.

[10] Dong H, Yu H, Wang X, et al. A novel structure of scalable air-cathode without nafion and pt by rolling activated carbon and PTFE as catalyst layer in microbial fuel cells[J]. Water Research, 2012, 46(17): 5777-5787.

[11] Zhang X, He W, Zhang R, et al. High‐performance carbon aerogel air cathodes for microbial fuel cells[J]. Chemsuschem, 2016, 9(19): 2788-2795.

[12] Li X, Hu B, Suib S, et al. Manganese dioxide as a new cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2010, 195(9): 2586-2591.

[13] Xie X, Criddle C, Cui Y. Design and fabrication of bioelectrodes for microbial bioelectrochemical systems[J]. Energy & Environmental Science, 2015, 8(12): 94-113.

[14] Hosomi M. New challenges on wastewater treatment[J]. Clean Technologies & Environmental Policy, 2016: 1-2.

[15] Ren N Q, (任南琪). Pollution control microbiology (污染控制微生物学)[M]. Harbin Institute of Technology Press (哈尔滨工业大学出版社), 2011:301-303.

[16] Li W W, Yu H Q, He Z. Towards sustainable wastewater treatment by using microbial fuel cells-centered technologies[J]. Energy Environ Sci, 2014, 7(3): 911-924.

[17] Zhang F, Ge Z, Grimaud J, et al. Long-term performance of liter-scale microbial fuel cells treating primary effluent installed in a municipal wastewater treatment facility[J]. Environmental Science and Technology, 2013, 47(9): 4941-4948.

[18] Brown R K, Harnisch F, Dockhorn T, et al. Examining sludge production in bioelectrochemical systems treating domestic wastewater[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2015, 198: 913-917.

[19] He W, Zhang X, Liu J, et al. Microbial fuel cells with an integrated spacer and separate anode and cathode modules[J]. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology, 2016, 2: 186-195.

[20] McCarty P L, Bae J, Kim J. Domestic wastewater treatment as a net energy producer-can this be achieved?[J]. Environmental Science and Technology, 2011, 45(17): 7100-7106.

[21] Water and Energy: Leveraging Voluntary Programs to Save Both Water and Energy, Environmental Protection Agency 2008.

[22] Shizas I, Bagley D M. Experimental determination of energy content of unknown organics in municipal wastewater streams[J]. J Energ Eng, 2004, 130(2): 45-53.

[23] Gao X (高旭), Ma S (马蜀), Guo J S (郭劲松), et al. Determination of the calorific value of wastewater and sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (城市污水厂污水污泥的热值测定分析方法研究)[J]. Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering (环境工程学报), 2009, 3(11): 1938-1942.

[24] Gen S S (耿土锁). Treatment of brewery wastewater by UASB- aerobic contact oxidation process (UASB-好氧接触氧化工艺处理啤酒废水)[J]. China Water and Wastewater (中国给水排水), 2002, 18(10): 71-72.

[25] Gu Z, (顾震宇), Kuang W (况武). Application of UASB technology in the transformation of brewery wastewater treatment (UASB技术在啤酒废水处理改造中的应用)[J]. Energy Engineering (能源工程), 2009, (6): 45-48.

[26] Dong Y, Feng Y, Qu Y, et al. A combined system of microbial fuel cell and intermittently aerated biological filter for energy self-sufficient wastewater treatment[J]. Scientific Reports, 2015, 5:

[27] Zhang X Y, He W H, Ren L J, et al. COD removal characteristics in air-cathode microbial fuel cells[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2015, 176: 23-31.

[28] Dong Y, Qu Y P, He W H, et al. A 90-liter stackable baffled microbial fuel cell for brewery wastewater treatment based on energy self-sufficient mode[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2015, 195: 66-72.

[29] Bond D R, Lovley D R. Electricity production by geobacter sulfurreducens attached to electrodes[J]. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2003, 69(3): 1548-1555.

[30] Lovley D R. Bug juice: Harvesting electricity with microorganisms[J]. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2006, 4(7): 497-508.

[31] Bond D R, Holmes D E, Tender L M, et al. Electrode-reducing microorganisms that harvest energy from marine sediments[J]. Science, 2002, 295(295): 483-485.

[32] Freguia S, Rabaey K, Yuan Z G, et al. Syntrophic processes drive the conversion of glucose in microbial fuel cell anodes[J]. Environmental Science and Technology, 2008, 42(21): 7937-7943.

[33] Jacobson K S, Drew D M, He Z. Efficient salt removal in a continuously operated upflow microbial desalination cell with an air cathode[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2011, 102(1): 376-380.

[34] Virdis B, Rabaey K, Rozendal R A, et al. Simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and carbon removal in microbial fuel cells[J]. Water Research, 2010, 44(9): 2970-2980.

[35] Ren L J, Zhang X Y, He W H, et al. High current densities enable exoelectrogens to outcompete aerobic heterotrophs for substrate[J]. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2014, 111(11): 2163-2169.

[36] Schröder U. Discover the possibilities: Microbial bioelectrochemical systems and the revival of a 100-year–old discovery[J]. Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry, 2011, 15(7-8): 1481-1486.

[37] Sonawane J M, Gupta A, Ghosh P C. Multi-electrode microbial fuel cell (memfc): A close analysis towards large scale system architecture[J]. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2013, 38(12): 5106-5114.

[38] Fan Y. Improved performance of cea microbial fuel cells with increased reactor size[J]. Energy and Environmental Science, 2012, 5(8): 8273-8280.

[39] Feng Y, He W, Jia L, et al. A horizontal plug flow and stackable pilot microbial fuel cell for municipal wastewater treatment[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2014, 156(2): 132–138.

[40] Cheng S, Ye Y, Ding W, et al. Enhancing power generation of scale-up microbial fuel cells by optimizing the leading-out terminal of anode[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2014, 248(7): 931-938.

[41] He W, Wallack M J, Kim K-Y, et al. The effect of flow modes and electrode combinations on the performance of a multiple module microbial fuel cell installed at wastewater treatment plant[J]. Water Research, 2016, 105(2016): 351-360.

[42] Zhang L, Zhu X, Li J, et al. Biofilm formation and electricity generation of a microbial fuel cell started up under different external resistances[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2011, 196(15): 6029-6035.

[43] Oh S, Min B, Logan B E. Cathode performance as a factor in electricity generation in microbial fuel cells[J]. Environmental Science and Technology, 2004, 38(18): 4900-4904.

[44] Feng Y J, Lee H, Wang X, et al. Continuous electricity generation by a graphite granule baffled air-cathode microbial fuel cell[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2010, 101(2): 632-638.

[45] Kim J R, Premier G C, Hawkes F R, et al. Development of a tubular microbial fuel cell (MFC) employing a membrane electrode assembly cathode[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 187(2): 393-399.

[46] Zhuang L, Zhou S G, Wang Y Q, et al. Membrane-less cloth cathode assembly (cca) for scalable microbial fuel cells[J]. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2009, 24(12): 3652-3656.

[47] Ge Z, Wu L, Zhang F, et al. Energy extraction from a large-scale microbial fuel cell system treating municipal wastewater[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2015, 297: 260-264.

[48] Zhang X Y, Cheng S O, Xin W, et al. Separator characteristics for increasing performance of microbial fuel cells[J]. Environmental Science and Technology, 2009, 43(21): 8456-8461.

[49] Ahn Y, Hatzell M C, Zhang F, et al. Different electrode configurations to optimize performance of multi-electrode microbial fuel cells for generating power or treating domestic wastewater[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2014, 249: 440-445.

[50] Janicek A, Fan Y Z, Hong L. Design of microbial fuel cells for practical application: A review and analysis of scale-up studies[J]. Biofuels, 2014, 5(1): 79-92.

[51] An B M, Heo Y, Maitlo H A, et al. Scaled-up dual anode/cathode microbial fuel cell stack for actual ethanolamine wastewater treatment[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2016, 210: 68-73.

[52] Wu S, Li H, Zhou X, et al. A novel pilot-scale stacked microbial fuel cell for efficient electricity generation and wastewater treatment[J]. Water Research, 2016, 98:

[53] Yu J, Seon J, Park Y, et al. Electricity generation and microbial community in a submerged-exchangeable microbial fuel cell system for low-strength domestic wastewater treatment[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2012, 117: 172-179.

[54] Miyahara M, Hashimoto K, Watanabe K. Use of cassette-electrode microbial fuel cell for wastewater treatment[J]. Journal of Bioscience & Bioengineering, 2012, 115(2): 176-181.

[55] Wang B, Han J I. A single chamber stackable microbial fuel cell with air cathode[J]. Biotechnology Letters, 2009, 31(3): 387-393.

[56] Shimoyama T, Komukai S, Yamazawa A, et al. Electricity generation from model organic wastewater in a cassette-electrode microbial fuel cell[J]. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2008, 80(2): 325-330.

[57] Hoskins D L, Zhang X, Hickner M A, et al. Spray-on polyvinyl alcohol separators and impact on power production in air-cathode microbial fuel cells with different solution conductivities[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2014, 172C: 156-161.

[58] Zhang X, Pant D, Zhang F, et al. Long-term performance of chemically and physically modified activated carbons in air cathodes of microbial fuel cells[J]. Chemelectrochem, 2014, 1(1): 1859-1866.

[59] Zhang F, Pant D, Logan B E. Long-term performance of activated carbon air cathodes with different diffusion layer porosities in microbial fuel cells[J]. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2011, 30(1): 49-55.

[60] Bruce L, Shaoan C, Valerie W, et al. Graphite fiber brush anodes for increased power production in air-cathode microbial fuel cells[J]. Environmental Science & Technology, 2007, 41(9): 3341-3346.

[61] Feng Y, Yang Q, Wang X, et al. Treatment of carbon fiber brush anodes for improving power generation in air–cathode microbial fuel cells[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2010, 195(7): 1841-1844.

[62] Kiely P D, Rader G, Regan J M, et al. Long-term cathode performance and the microbial communities that develop in microbial fuel cells fed different fermentation endproducts[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2011, 102(1): 361-366.

[63] Li Z, Yong Y, Wang Y, et al. Long-term evaluation of a 10-liter serpentine-type microbial fuel cell stack treating brewery wastewater[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2012, 123(2): 406-412.

[64] You S J, Wang J Y, Ren N Q, et al. Sustainable conversion of glucose into hydrogen peroxide in a solid polymer electrolyte microbial fuel cell[J]. ChemSusChem, 2010, 3(3): 334-338.

[65] Li D, Liu J, Qu Y, et al. Analysis of the effect of biofouling distribution on electricity output in microbial fuel cells[J]. Rsc Advances, 2016, 6(33): 27494-27500.

[66] Yang W, Watson V J, Logan B E. Substantial humic acid adsorption to activated carbon air cathodes produces a small reduction in catalytic activity[J]. Environmental Science and Technology, 2016, 50(16):

[67] Feng Y, Shi X, Wang X, et al. Effects of sulfide on microbial fuel cells with platinum and nitrogen-doped carbon powder cathodes[J]. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2012, 35(1): 413-415.

[68] Ha P T, Tae B, Chang I S. Performance and bacterial consortium of microbial fuel cell fed with formate†[J]. Energy & Fuels, 2008, 22(1): 164-168.

[69] Z R, LM S, JM R. Electricity production and microbial biofilm characterization in cellulose-fed microbial fuel cells[J]. Water Science & Technology A Journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research, 2008, 58(3): 617-622.

[70] Rezaei F, Xing D, Wagner R, et al. Simultaneous cellulose degradation and electricity production by enterobacter cloacae in a microbial fuel cell[J]. Applied & Environmental Microbiology, 2009, 75(11): 3673-3678.

[71] Niessen J, Schröder U, Scholz F. Exploiting complex carbohydrates for microbial electricity generation – a bacterial fuel cell operating on starch[J]. Electrochemistry Communications, 2004, 6(9): 955-958.

[72] Rodrigo M A, Canizares P, Lobato J, et al. Production of electricity from the treatment of urban waste water using a microbial fuel cell[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2007, 169(1): 198-204.

[73] Penteado E D, Fernandez-Marchante C M, Zaiat M, et al. Energy recovery from winery wastewater using a dual chamber microbial fuel cell[J]. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 2016, 91(6): 1802-1808.

[74] Wang L, Liu Y, Ma J, et al. Rapid degradation of sulphamethoxazole and the further transformation of 3-amino-5-methylisoxazole in a microbial fuel cell[J]. Water Research, 2016, 88(4): 322-328.

[75] Velvizhi G, Mohan S V. Electrogenic activity and electron losses under increasing organic load of recalcitrant pharmaceutical wastewater[J]. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2012, 37(7): 5969-5978.

[76] Caccavo F, Lonergan D J, Lovley D R, et al. Geobacter sulfurreducens sp. Nov., a hydrogen- and acetate-oxidizing dissimilatory metal-reducing microorganism[J]. Applied & Environmental Microbiology, 1994, 60(10): 3752-3759.

[77] Rozendal R A, Hamelers H V M, Rabaey K, et al. Towards practical implementation of bioelectrochemical wastewater treatment[J]. Trends Biotechnol, 2008, 26(26): 450-459.

[78] Li H, (李贺). Construction and electrogenic characteristics of a baffled tubular air-cathode microbial fuel cell (折流板管状空气阴极微生物燃料电池构建及产电特性研究)[D] 哈尔滨工业大学, 2010:

[79] He Z, Minteer S D, Angenent L T. Electricity generation from artificial wastewater using an upflow microbial fuel cell[J]. Environmental Science and Technology, 2005, 39(14): 5262-5267.

[80] Cetinkaya A Y, Ozdemir O K, Demir A, et al. Electricity production and characterization of high-strength industrial wastewaters in microbial fuel cell[J]. Applied Biochemistry & Biotechnology, 2016: 1-14.

[81] Cao X, Song H L, Yu C Y, et al. Simultaneous degradation of toxic refractory organic pesticide and bioelectricity generation using a soil microbial fuel cell[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2015, 189: 87-93.

[82] Stein N E, Hamelers H V, Van S G, et al. Effect of toxic components on microbial fuel cell-polarization curves and estimation of the type of toxic inhibition[J]. Biosensors, 2012, 2(4): 255-268.

[83] Liu H, Cheng S A, Logan B E. Production of electricity from acetate or butyrate using a single-chamber microbial fuel cell[J]. Environ Sci Technol 2005, 39(2): 658-662.

[84] Feng Y, Xin W, Logan B E, et al. Brewery wastewater treatment using air-cathode microbial fuel cells[J]. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2008, 78(5): 873-880.

[85] Min B, Logan B E. Continuous electricity generation from domestic wastewater and organic substrates in a flat plate microbial fuel cell[J]. Environmental Science & Technology, 2004, 38(21): 5809-5814.

[86] Zhang B G, Zhao H Z, Zhou S G, et al. A novel UASB-MFC-BAF integrated system for high strength molasses wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2009, 100(23): 5687-5693.

[87] Wang H, Qu Y, Li D, et al. Cascade degradation of organic matters in brewery wastewater using a continuous stirred microbial electrochemical reactor and analysis of microbial communities[J]. Scientific Reports, 2016, 6: 27023.

[88] Ren L J, Ahn Y, Logan B E. A two-stage microbial fuel cell and anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (MFC-afmbr) system for effective domestic wastewater treatment[J]. Environ Sci Technol, 2014, 48(7): 4199-4206.

[89] Doherty L, Zhao Y Q, Zhao X H, et al. A review of a recently emerged technology: Constructed wetland - microbial fuel cells[J]. Water Research, 2015, 85: 38-45.

[90] Villase, ntilde, or J, et al. Operation of a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland – microbial fuel cell treating wastewater under different organic loading rates[J]. Water research, 2013:

[91] Corbella C, Guivernau M, Viñas M, et al. Operational, design and microbial aspects related to power production with microbial fuel cells implemented in constructed wetlands[J]. Water Research, 2015, 84: 232-242.

Download

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.