Application Of Microbial Fuel Cells (Mfcs) With Biocathodes In Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the efficiency of double-chambered Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) with Biocathodes in synthetic wastewater treatment with different concentrations of nitrate and phosphate. The effect of cathode influent nitrate and phosphate concentrations of biocathode on the efficiency of power generation and wastewater treatment was investigated. Glucose was used as a readily biodegradable source of carbon and electron donor for the microorganisms in anodic chamber, equivalent to 2300 mg COD/ L. The efficiency of biocathode MFC was evaluated for about 9 weeks. The highest removal efficiency of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was 56 percent, that of nitrate-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus concentrations are 36 percent and 58 percent, respectively, and they are slightly influenced by the varying concentrations of nitrate. However, the efficiency of electricity generation was significantly affected by increased concentration of phosphate. At the maximum influent phosphate concentration of 800 mg P-PO4/L, the electric potential reached the lowest value of 453 mV. In addition, the rising concentration of nitrate from 75 mg N-NO3/ L to 100 mg N-NO3/ L increased the electric potential to 769 mV of the maximum value.