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Simultaneous Biotreatment and Power Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells

Saba, Beenish
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu149233408160918

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bioelectrochemical devices that allow the harvesting of electricity generated during anaerobic respiration of selected bacterial species. This technology shows promise in both wastewater treatment and sustainable bioenergy conversion applications. Bacterial respiration occurs in the anaerobic anode compartment of the MFC, and is electrochemically coupled with electron acceptors in the MFC's aerobic cathode compartment. This dissertation addresses a variety of MFC applications and includes a comprehensive summary of the published results of bacterio-algal MFCs. This review summarizes not only successful published results of bacterio-algal fuel cells but also highlights critical operational parameters and their effect on power generation and output efficiency. Power generation and desalination performance of microbial desalination cells (MDCs) were compared using two different catholytes; (1) Nanochloropsis salina, a marine algae and (2) potassium ferricyanide in chapter three. Anodic biofilms and current generation during biofilm growth were examined using single chambered MFCs submersed in algal catholyte. As part of the dissertation research study, we conducted experiments to explore the role of graphite anodes in the decolorization of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) azo dye and Reactive Blue 4 (RBL4) anthraquinone dye coupled with voltage generation in MFCs. Desalination efficiencies were 45%, 79%, and 46% when the algae were used as catholyte and 46%, 73%, and 16% when KFe(CN)6 was used as the ii catholyte at (35, 17.5, and 8.25 g/L of NaCl) respective salt concentrations. Confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging showed that the depth of the bacterial biofilm on the anode was about 65 µm. There were more viable bacteria on the biofilm surface and near the biofilm-electrolyte interface as compared to those closer to the anode surface. RB5 dye was more than 90% decolorized in 120, 165, and 225 min at 50, 100 and 200 mg L-1 dye concentrations, respectively. RBL4 at 50 and 100 mg L-1 took 225 and 300 min to decolorize, while 200 mg L-1 RBL4 dye was not decolorized at all. The reason may be substrate inhibition of the reductase enzyme or the selective transfer of electrons to the anode and not the dye. The results successfully demonstrated that the marine algae assisted biocatholyte can be used for efficient desalination in MDCs, but generates lower power as compared to the chemical catholyte. Biofilm growth on the anode creates a conductive layer, which can help overcome mass transport limitations in MFCs. Higher external resistance favors faster decolorization, and the reductive cleavage is faster with azo dyes than anthraquinone dyes.
Ann Christy, Dr. (Advisor)
Anne Co, Dr. (Committee Member)
Zhontang Yu, Dr. (Committee Member)
Olli Tuovinen, Dr. (Committee Member)
Rafiq Islam, Dr. (Committee Member)
160 p.
Biology; Energy; Engineering; Environmental Engineering
Power generation, microbial fuel cells, microbes

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Citations

  • Saba, B. (2017). Simultaneous Biotreatment and Power Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu149233408160918

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Saba, Beenish. Simultaneous Biotreatment and Power Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells. 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu149233408160918.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Saba, Beenish. "Simultaneous Biotreatment and Power Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu149233408160918

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu149233408160918
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.