Vita Meylani, Elsa Nurfauziah, Diana Hernawati

Journal of Agriculture and Applied Biology • 0

<jats:p>Vegetable waste, one of which is cabbage waste, has long been recognized as a cause of a significant environmental problems in traditional markets and must be addressed. However, cabbage waste can be used as an alternative energy source through the Microbial Fuel Cell process. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of cabbage waste as a producer of bioelectricity and the storage time of cabbage waste that produces the largest bioelectricity using Microbial Fuel Cells. This research was conducted in February 2022 at Laboratory of Microbiology and Botany, Universitas Siliwangi. The study employed a completely randomized design (CRD), with treatment consisting of a control group (without storage), five storage treatments, namely: treatment 1 (2 days storage), treatment 2 (4 days storage), treatment 3 (6 days storage), treatment 4 (eight days storage), and treatment 5 (10 days storage). All treatments were repeated 4 times. A digital multimeter is used to determine the resulting electric current.  The results indicated that the highest average total electric current generated was 0.022 mA from the 4 days storage treatment. The lowest average total electric current generated was 0.010 mA from the 10th days storage. These data indicate that the treatment of storage time of up to 4 days can increase the amount of electric current generated, then it decreases with increasing length of storage. It is influenced by several variables, including the growth phase of the bacterium, the availability of organic molecules, and the population of bacterium.</jats:p>

Erin Gaffney, Matteo Grattieri, Shelley D. Minteer

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2019

<jats:p> Photo-bioelectrochemical systems allow for the integration of photosynthetic bacteria at an electrode surface for the conversion of solar energy into electrical current.<jats:sup>1</jats:sup> Among various applications, these systems open for the continuous monitoring of toxic compounds in the environment based on their cytotoxic effects on bacteria activity. However, a challenge for the on-field application is the exposure of bacterial cells to a diverse range of condition, requiring robust, versatile microorganisms capable of tolerating dynamic environments. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:italic>Rhodobacter capsulatus</jats:italic> (<jats:italic>R. capsulatus</jats:italic>) is a purple, photosynthetic bacterium with an outstanding versatile metabolism. Specifically, its versatility is thought to be due to a bacteria phage-like element, the <jats:italic>R. capsulatus</jats:italic> gene transfer agent (rcGTA), enabling horizontal gene transfer across microorganisms, which results in an expedited evolution to new environmental stresses. The rcGTA has been seen to facilitate resistance to antibiotics<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> and provides a mechanism for adaptation to various environmental conditions. Integrating this bacterium with an electrode for photo-bioelectrochemical system development proves to be challenging due to the active redox center’s location inside of the thick cellular membrane. Previous work in our group has succeeded in mediating this redox active center employing monomeric quinones for mediating the extracellular electron transfer to the electrode.<jats:sup>3</jats:sup> Current research is focused on engineering redox hydrogels to enhance the extracellular electron transfer in high saline, resulting in equal or higher currents compared to non-saline. To further improve photo-bioelectrocatalysis performance through adaptation of the cells to high saline conditions, we investigated the adaptation mechanism using techniques to study the rcGTA, and bioinformatics to evaluate differential expression of genes in both saline and non-saline conditions. Further research will be focused on harnessing these findings to decrease adaptation time to high salinities and evaluating the bioelectrochemical performance of these adapted strains through chronoamperometry and cyclic voltammetry experiments. </jats:p> <jats:p>The successful completion of this study will contribute towards the design of a photo-bioelectrochemical system for toxic compound detection in high saline conditions, and further increase our knowledge of salt adaptation mechanisms and the gene transfer agent of <jats:italic>Rhodobacter capsulatus</jats:italic>. </jats:p> <jats:p>References: </jats:p> <jats:p>(1) Grattieri, M.; Minteer, S. D. Decoupling Energy and Power. <jats:italic>Nat. Energy</jats:italic> <jats:bold>2018</jats:bold>, <jats:italic>3</jats:italic> (1), 8–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-017-0076-x. </jats:p> <jats:p>(2) Lang, A. S.; Zhaxybayeva, O.; Beatty, J. T. Gene Transfer Agents: Phage-like Elements of Genetic Exchange. <jats:italic>Nat. Rev. Microbiol.</jats:italic> https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2802. </jats:p> <jats:p>(3) Grattieri, M.; Rhodes, Z.; Hickey, D. P.; Beaver, K.; Minteer, S. D. Understanding Biophotocurrent Generation in Photosynthetic Purple Bacteria. <jats:italic>ACS Catal.</jats:italic> <jats:bold>2019</jats:bold>, <jats:italic>9</jats:italic> (2), 867–873. https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.8b04464. </jats:p>

Md Tabish Noori, Dayakar Thatikayala, Booki Min

Energies • 0

<jats:p>Consistent accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) in soil and sediments is a big concern and, thus, warrants a static technology to continuously remediate PH-contaminated soil. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) can offer the desired solution using the inimitable metabolic response of electroactive microbes without involving a physiochemical process. To date, a wide range of BES-based applications for PH bioremediations under different environmental conditions is readily available in the literature. Here, the latest development trend in BESs for PH bioremediation is critically analyzed and discussed. The reactor design and operational factors that affect the performance of BESs and their strategic manipulations such as designing novel reactors to improve anodic reactions, enhancing soil physiology (electrical conductivity, mass diffusion, hydraulic conductivity), electrode modifications, operational conditions, microbial communities, etc., are elaborated to fortify the understanding of this technology for future research. Most of the literature noticed that a low mass diffusion condition in soil restricts the microbes from interacting with the contaminant farther to the electrodes. Therefore, more research efforts are warranted, mainly to optimize soil parameters by specific amendments, electrode modifications, optimizing experimental parameters, integrating different technologies, and conducting life cycle and life cycle cost analysis to make this technology viable for field-scale applications.</jats:p>

Fei Wu, Lanqun Mao

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2019

<jats:p> Bioelectrocatalysts have enabled a rapid development of sensing methods and devices for <jats:italic>in vivo</jats:italic> quantification of chemical species, which is crucial for understanding the molecular basis of life. However, these sophisticated functional units face a set of challenges when operated <jats:italic>in vivo</jats:italic>. One inevitable issue is the kinetic barrier for heterogeneous electron transfer at the electrode-enzyme interface, especially when direct electron transfer (DET) is preferred as toxic and unstable mediators are not suitable for <jats:italic>in vivo</jats:italic> applications. Different strategies have been explored to improve DET efficiency, and lately, a new method for regulating the molecular orientation of laccase on single-walled carbon nanotubes was developed based on the principle of surface wetting. Electrochemical and vibrational spectroscopic investigation drew a mechanistic picture of how enzymes behave in the presence of wetting reagents (such as ethanol), offering a new guidance for the design of bioelectrochemical interfaces. </jats:p> <jats:p>Another issue associated with <jats:italic>in vivo</jats:italic> biosensing rises from interference of intrinsically existing substrates (other than the analytes) for enzymes, e.g., oxygen and NAD<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> that function as electron acceptors for commonly employed oxidases and dehydrogenases. In our recent studies, we have explored a new enzyme candidate, ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (Fd-GltS), as a bioelectrocatalyst. Containing multiple redox centers, Fd-GltS can be fined tuned with various mediators to enable either bioelectrosynthsis of glutamate or bioelectrochemical oxidation of glutamate. By this means, we can construct a new bioelectrochemical interface devoid of oxygen and cofactor interference, thus providing a new option for the development of biosensing platform for glutamate-mediated neurotransmission. </jats:p>

Hannah Bird, Sharon Velasquez-Orta, Elizabeth Heidrich

Frontiers in Microbiology • 0

<jats:p>Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are innovative environmental engineering systems that harness the metabolic activities of microbial communities to convert chemical energy in waste into electrical energy. However, MFC performance optimization remains challenging due to limited understanding of microbial metabolic mechanisms, particularly with complex substrates under realistic environmental conditions. This study investigated the effects of substrate complexity (acetate vs. starch) and varying mass transfer (stirred vs. non-stirred) on acclimatization rates, substrate degradation, and microbial community dynamics in air-cathode MFCs. Stirring was critical for acclimating to complex substrates, facilitating electrogenic biofilm formation in starch-fed MFCs, while non-stirred MFCs showed limited performance under these conditions. Non-stirred MFCs, however, outperformed stirred systems in current generation and coulombic efficiency (CE), especially with simple substrates (acetate), achieving 66% CE compared to 38% under stirred conditions, likely due to oxygen intrusion in the stirred systems. Starch-fed MFCs exhibited consistently low CE (19%) across all tested conditions due to electron diversion into volatile fatty acids (VFA). Microbial diversity was higher in acetate-fed MFCs but unaffected by stirring, while starch-fed MFCs developed smaller, more specialized communities. Kinetic analysis identified hydrolysis of complex substrates as the rate-limiting step, with rates an order of magnitude slower than acetate consumption. Combined hydrolysis-fermentation rates were unaffected by stirring, but stirring significantly impacted acetate consumption rates, likely due to oxygen-induced competition between facultative aerobes and electrogenic bacteria. These findings highlight the trade-offs between enhanced substrate availability and oxygen-driven competition in MFCs. For real-world applications, initiating reactors with dynamic stirring to accelerate acclimatization, followed by non-stirred operation, may optimize performance. Integrating MFCs with anaerobic digestion could overcome hydrolysis limitations, enhancing the degradation of complex substrates while improving energy recovery. This study introduces novel strategies to address key challenges in scaling up MFCs for wastewater treatment, bridging the gap between fundamental research and practical applications to advance environmental systems.</jats:p>

Amit Sarode, Gymama Slaughter

Energies • 0

<jats:p>The transition toward sustainable and decentralized energy solutions necessitates the development of innovative bioelectronic systems capable of harvesting and converting renewable energy. Here, we present a novel photo-bioelectrochemical fuel cell architecture based on a biohybrid anode integrating laser-induced graphene (LIG), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and isolated thylakoid membranes. LIG provided a porous, conductive scaffold, while PEDOT enhanced electrode compatibility, electrical conductivity, and operational stability. Compared to MXene-based systems that involve complex, multi-step synthesis, PEDOT offers a cost-effective and scalable alternative for bioelectrode fabrication. Thylakoid membranes were immobilized onto the PEDOT-modified LIG surface to enable light-driven electron generation. Electrochemical characterization revealed enhanced redox activity following PEDOT modification and stable photocurrent generation under light illumination, achieving a photocurrent density of approximately 18 µA cm−2. The assembled photo-bioelectrochemical fuel cell employing a gas diffusion platinum cathode demonstrated an open-circuit voltage of 0.57 V and a peak power density of 36 µW cm−2 in 0.1 M citrate buffer (pH 5.5) under light conditions. Furthermore, the integration of a charge pump circuit successfully boosted the harvested voltage to drive a low-power light-emitting diode, showcasing the practical viability of the system. This work highlights the potential of combining biological photosystems with conductive nanomaterials for the development of self-powered, light-driven bioelectronic devices.</jats:p>

Jarina Joshi

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2019

<jats:p> Bioethanol can be used as an octane enhancer and alternative replacement to blend with petroleum fuels. Using an electrochemical cell for the production of bioethanol facilitates the enhancement in ethanol production exploiting the electrochemical redox reactions occuring inside the cell. The externally supplied voltage is used to drive the chemical reactions to generate the metabolite, i.e; ethanol. A microbial electrochemical cell was designed with porous carbon fiber coated with neutral red as cathode and platinum wire coated with fine platinum as anode. <jats:italic>Saccharum spontanum</jats:italic> biomass pretreated with hot water at 100<jats:sup>o</jats:sup>C for 2 hours followed by acid hydrolysis was neutralized and used for production of ethanol by <jats:italic>Saccharomyces cereviseae</jats:italic> in electrochemical cell. A total supply of 4V was found to be best for maximum ethanol production in 300 ml fermentation volume. </jats:p> <jats:p>Key words: ethanol, microbial electrochemical cell, voltage. </jats:p>

Renata Toczyłowska-Mamińska

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health • 0

<jats:p>Although the wood-based panel industry is not considered to be a water-consuming sector, it generates ca. 600 M m3 of wastewater every year on a global scale. The wastewater is usually highly polluted and environmentally toxic even after dilution. Common wastewater treatment techniques require high-energy input or addition of various chemicals to the treated wastewater, which cause secondary pollution and production of toxic sludge. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have become an attractive technology, allowing for zero-energy treatment of various types of wastewater with simultaneous production of electric current. Recent investigations have shown that MFCs can also be utilized for sustainable treatment and energy production from the wastewater generated by the wood-based panel industry. This article contains a critical summary of the investigations in this field as well as a discussion of the research needed and perspectives for the future.</jats:p>

DEEPAK LOHANI

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research • 0

<jats:p>Paper industry is one of the largest polluting industries in the world. The treatment of recycled paper mill wastewater is a big challenge; the characteristics of effluent vary from one mill to another. The wastewater degradation pathway was identified as formation Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) which breaks down in to intermediates like acetate and propionate. The mixed inoculum supporting the MFC reaction mechanism was identified as Acinetobacter species and Pseudomonas species. The maximum COD removal achieved by the MFC using FePc/MWCNTs catalyst was nearly equal to the Pt/C catalyst. However, cost of the treatment using this catalyst is much lower than precious metal catalyst. In addition that MFC technoloy revealed better electricity generation and wastewater treatment using non precious catalyst.</jats:p>

Weilin Wu

Journal of Chemistry • 2019

<jats:p>Towards the corrosion issues of oilfield wastewater for water recycling, the dissolved oxygen (DO) is a subsequent corrosive factor after the air desulfurization tower for high-efficiency removal of sulfides. However, an in situ biological technology for efficient DO removal has not been well developed by using organics in oilfield wastewater. A novel upflow bioelectrocatalytic system assembled with three electrodes (cathode-anode-cathode) was designed in this study, in which waste organic matter of oil wastewater was degraded by a bioanode for electron production and dissolved oxygen was efficiently reduced by a biocathode under an assistant external voltage. The results showed that the average current was kept over 6 mA by applying a fixed voltage of 0.8 V to treat oil wastewater with DO as high as 3–5 mg/L. The bottom cathode contributed the largest to DO removal rate, reaching 67%; contribution of the middle anode and the upper cathode for DO removal was 11% and 9%, respectively. The whole DO removal rate by the bioelectrocatalytic system was up to about 90%, and the effluent DO was reduced to below 0.6 mg/L by removing 40–50% COD.</jats:p>

Boyang Wang

Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology • 0

<jats:p>Global warming and the energy crisis caused by human activities, water scarcity and the diminishing land area are becoming more and more urgent problems to be solved. This paper summarizes the technologies of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) and hydroponics for wastewater treatment respectively, and describes the coupled wastewater treatment technology formed by the combination of the two. The two methods are mainly analyzed in terms of the working principle of wastewater purification, the efficiency and their benefits and shortcomings. In addition, it provides a detailed analysis and summary of the working principles and previous research on coupling MFCs to hydroponics, a novel technology for treating wastewater, and gives reasonable suggestions on aspects of the field that still need to be developed and improved. MFCs coupled hydroponics (Hyp-MFC) for wastewater treatment still has great potential as a new wastewater treatment process, including the search for suitable fungal or bacterial communities to enhance the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater by hydroponics, as well as the application of electricity generated by MFCs to other processes. The purpose of this study is to have significance in improving the Hyp-MFC system for wastewater treatment technology, finding greener wastewater treatment methods and plant cultivation.</jats:p>

Kang Lv, Hua Zhang, Shuiliang Chen

RSC Advances • 0

<p>Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon modified activated carbon shows decreased ORR over-potential, thus enhanced ORR electrocatalytic activity in the air-cathode of microbial fuel cells compared to pristine AC.</p>

Sa’adu, L., Garba, N.A., Balarabe, M.D.

International Journal of Science for Global Sustainability • 0

<jats:p>Electrical energy needs in Nigeria are expected to continue to rise due to the rise in population. The use of petroleum as a source of energy still dominates till date, although oil reserves in Nigeria are increasingly being depleted. There is therefore the need to develop alternative source of sustainable energy, such as, Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). Electrode materials are critical for microbial fuel cells (MFC) due to their influence in the construction as well as operational costs. In this study, we reviewed different kinds of electrodes used for the purpose of fabrication of MFC across the globe. The study shows that, most of electrode materials are carbon based perhaps due to their high conductivity, durability, eco-friendliness. While the likes Activated carbon and Biochar are selected for their surface area advantages, Graphenes, Carbon Nanotubes and Some Metals excel in the area of delivering high power density</jats:p>

Daniel C. Aiken, Thomas P. Curtis, Elizabeth S. Heidrich

Frontiers in Chemical Engineering • 0

<jats:p>Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are yet to achieve commercial viability. Organic removal rates (ORR) and capital costs dictate an MEC’s financial competitiveness against activated sludge treatments. We used numerical methods to investigate the impact of acetate concentration and the distance between opposing anodes’ surfaces (anode interstices width) on MEC cost-performance. Numerical predictions were calibrated against laboratory observations using an evolutionary algorithm. Anode interstices width had a non-linear impact on ORR and therefore allowable cost. MECs could be financially competitive if anode interstices widths are carefully controlled (2.5 mm), material costs kept low (£5–10/m<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>-anode), and wastewater pre-treated, using hydrolysis to consistently achieve influent acetate concentrations &amp;gt;100 mg-COD/l.</jats:p>

Wenwen Cui, Shunde Yin

Fuels • 0

<jats:p>Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are receiving increasing scholarly recognition for their capacity to simultaneously remediate contaminated streams and generate renewable hydrogen. Within the realm of acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment, MECs demonstrate pronounced advantages by merging pollutant mitigation with hydrogen production, thereby attracting intensified research interest. Drawing on 1321 pertinent publications extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (2004–2024), this bibliometric assessment systematically elucidates the current research landscape and prospective directions in MEC-based AMD remediation and H2 synthesis. Key thematic areas encompass (1) a detailed appraisal of distinctive publication dynamics within this specialized domain; (2) insights into the principal contributing nations, institutions, journals, and academic fields; and (3) a synthesized overview of technological milestones, emerging investigative foci, and prospective developmental pathways. By critically reviewing extant knowledge, this evaluation offers meaningful guidance to researchers newly engaging with MEC-driven AMD treatment while illuminating the technological trajectories poised to shape the future of this evolving field.</jats:p>

Lucas R. Timmerman, Sankar Raghavan, Abhijeet P. Borole

Frontiers in Energy Research • 0

<jats:p>In this study, EIS data collected from three electrode half-cell configurations was used to qualitatively identify and quantitatively determine the responses of ohmic, kinetic, and mass transfer impedances to buffer concentration, flow rate, and applied potential in an MEC consisting of a bioanode and an abiotic nickel-mesh cathode separated by a microporous membrane. EIS measurements were collected during startup and growth (including an abiotic run) at closed circuit and open circuit conditions to accurately match portions of the EIS spectra with the corresponding physical processes and to quantify kinetic changes as the biofilm matured. Once the MEC reached a target current density of 10 A/m<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>, a multifactorial experimental design formulated as a Taguchi array was executed to assess the impact of flow rate, buffer concentration, and applied voltage on EIS and performance response variables. Multivariate analysis was conducted to ascertain the relative importance of the independent variables and identify any correlations between process conditions and system response. The liquid flow through the anode was found to be strongly correlated with the impedance parameters and the MEC performance, while applied voltage influenced them to a lesser degree. The results are important from an industrial application perspective and provide insights into parameters important for process optimization.</jats:p>

Narges Rahimi, Ursula Eicker

Processes • 0

<jats:p>Conventional wastewater treatment plants (CWTPs) are intensive energy consumers. New technologies are emerging for wastewater treatment such as microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) that can simultaneously treat wastewater and generate hydrogen as a renewable energy source. Mathematical modeling of single and dual-chamber microbial electrolysis cells (SMEC and DMEC) has been developed based on microbial population growth in this study. The model outputs were validated successfully with previous works, and are then used for comparisons between the SMEC and DMEC regarding the hydrogen production rate (HPR). The results reveal that the daily HPR in DMEC is higher than in SMEC, with about 0.86 l H2 and 0.52 l H2, respectively, per 1 L of wastewater. Moreover, the results have been used to compare the HPR in water electrolysis (WE) processes and MECs. WE consume 51 kWh to generate 1 kg of hydrogen, while SMEC and DMEC require only 30 kWh and 24.5 kWh, respectively.</jats:p>

Junyu Wang, Bingjun Liu

International Journal of Biology and Life Sciences • 0

<jats:p>Methanogenic bacteria can convert exogenous CO₂ into biomethane, aiding carbon sequestration. Biological methods enhancing coal and CO₂ co-transformation during coalbed methane production are gaining attention, with microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) technology showing promise in improving anaerobic digestion (AD). This study compared AD and MEC-AD systems for biomethane co-production from coal and CO₂. The MEC-AD system produced 50.96 ml of methane, a 135.49% increase over AD alone (21.64 ml), and reduced CO₂ levels by 51.51% more than AD. 16S rRNA analysis showed MEC technology improved hydrolysis and interspecies electron transfer during coal digestion, boosting biomethane production. These findings highlight MEC's potential to enhance anaerobic digestion efficiency and support low-carbon or carbon-negative technologies for effective carbon sequestration.</jats:p>

Xolile Fuku, Ilunga Kamika, Tshimangadzo S. Munonde

Nanomanufacturing • 0

<jats:p>A national energy crisis has emerged in South Africa due to the country’s increasing energy needs in recent years. The reliance on fossil fuels, especially oil and gas, is unsustainable due to scarcity, emissions, and environmental repercussions. Researchers from all over the world have recently concentrated their efforts on finding carbon-free, renewable, and alternative energy sources and have investigated microbiology and biotechnology as a potential remedy. The usage of microbial electrolytic cells (MECs) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is one method for resolving the problem. These technologies are evolving as viable options for hydrogen and bioenergy production. The renewable energy technologies initiative in South Africa, which is regarded as a model for other African countries, has developed in the allocation of over 6000 MW of generation capacity to bidders across several technologies, primarily wind and solar. With a total investment value of R33.7 billion, the Eastern Cape’s renewable energy initiatives have created 18,132 jobs, with the province awarded 16 wind farms and one solar energy farm. Utilizing wastewater as a source of energy in MFCs has been recommended as most treatments, such as activated sludge processes and trickling filter plants, require roughly 1322 kWh per million gallons, whereas MFCs only require a small amount of external power to operate. The cost of wastewater treatment using MFCs for an influent flow of 318 m3 h−1 has been estimated to be only 9% (USD 6.4 million) of the total cost of treatment by a conventional wastewater treatment plant (USD 68.2 million). Currently, approximately 500 billion cubic meters of hydrogen (H2) are generated worldwide each year, exhibiting a growth rate of 10%. This production primarily comes from natural gas (40%), heavy oils and naphtha (30%), coal (18%), electrolysis (4%), and biomass (1%). The hydrogen produced is utilized in the manufacturing of ammonia (49%), the refining of petroleum (37%), the production of methanol (8%), and in a variety of smaller applications (6%). Considering South Africa’s energy issue, this review article examines the production of wastewater and its impacts on society as a critical issue in the global scenario and as a source of green energy.</jats:p>

A Mahilarasi, Kannaiyan Jaianand, K Rameshkumar et al.

Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics • 0

<jats:p>The present study was conducted for auto mobile industry, food industry and pharmaceutical industries waste water treatment using effective microbial consortium. The effective microorganisms like Acinetobacter pittii, Escherichia coli, Fictibacillus nanhaiensis, Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus and Planococcus maritimus were isolated from respective sources. The microbial consortium was formulated using molasses as medium at pH 3.8 and incubated at 37°C for 3 days. The results showed that the formulated consortium was efficient for industrial waste water treatment and thereby it reduced the environmental impact.&#x0D; Keywords: Bio-remediation, Microbial consortium, Industrial waste water, Heavy metals</jats:p>

Timoth Mkilima, Shynar Baimukasheva

Journal of Ecological Engineering • 0

Mohamad Agung Prawira Negara, Bayu Jayawardhana, Gert-Jan Willem Euverink

Water • 0

<jats:p>In this paper, a lab-scale reactor designed to simulate the operations of the North Water Saline Wastewater Treatment Plant (SWWTP) located in Delfzijl, The Netherlands, was constructed and assessed. Unlike conventional municipal wastewater treatment facilities, this industrial plant deals with wastewater containing stubborn chemicals that are difficult to break down, along with a high ratio of chemical oxygen demand (COD) to nitrogen and elevated sodium chloride levels. Furthermore, its treatment process diverges from standard industrial setups by employing an aerobic process preceding the anaerobic phase. The proposed lab-scale reactors were proven stable and effective in mimicking the conditions of the studied industrial SWWTP, particularly in the presence of abundant glycerol, a factor not explored in similar lab-scale models. Throughout the experiment, the removal of COD (specifically glycerol) and nitrogen were monitored, alongside changes in the microbial community within both reactors. The data enabled us to examine the proliferation of microbial populations within the sludge. The results indicated the complete removal of glycerol and ammonia from the system, with some residual nitrate detected in the effluent. The soluble COD decreased in the first reactor (R1) to approximately 50% of the influent and reduced further to less than 100 mg/L in the second reactor (R2), while nitrogen was majorly removed in the R1. By the experiment’s conclusion, Actinomycetales was identified as the dominant order in the anaerobic reactor (sometimes even exceeding 70% of the population), which is known for its utilization of glycerol as a carbon source and its tolerance to high salt concentrations in the influent. Conversely, the aerobic reactor was predominantly inhabited by the order Flavobacteriales, which correlates with ammonia concentration.</jats:p>

Katharina Herkendell

Catalysts • 0

<jats:p>Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) employ enzymes, subcellular structures or whole electroactive microorganisms as biocatalysts for energy conversion purposes, such as the electrosynthesis of value-added chemicals and power generation in biofuel cells. From a bioelectrode engineering viewpoint, customizable nanostructured carbonaceous matrices have recently received considerable scientific attention as promising electrode supports due to their unique properties attractive to bioelectronics devices. This review demonstrates the latest advances in the application of nano- and micro-structured carbon electrode assemblies in BES. Specifically, in view of the gradual increase in the commercial applicability of these systems, we aim to address the stability and scalability of different BES designs and to highlight their potential roles in a circular bioeconomy.</jats:p>

Xingcheng Zhou, Ariel L Furst

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2023

<jats:p> Electrochemical biosensors, which combine biorecognition elements with electrochemical readout to enable sensitive and specific sensing using inexpensive, simple equipment, are a major area of research for the development of “point-of-care” (POC) diagnostics that can be utilized in low-resource settings. Commercially available screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) are often used for electrochemical biosensors due to its low cost and fabrication from abundant resources. Forming a high quality, stable, and homogenous layer of biomolecules on the carbon surface is crucial for efficient sensing; however, the chemistries used to modify carbon electrodes with biomolecules are either insufficiently specific, susceptible to stripping, or unapproachable due to over-engineering. In this talk, I describe a new, simple chemical strategy to functionalize carbon electrodes with biomolecules for the electrochemical detection of nucleic acids, enzymes, and whole cells. </jats:p>

Prabhu Narayanaswamy Venkatesan, Sangeetha Dharmalingam

Renewable Energy • 2017

Jin Young Kim

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2018

<jats:p> A polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-reinforced Nafion composite material is a cost effective alternative to a pure perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membrane, which is often applied as membrane in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), simply by lowering the amount of expensive PFSA applied for the membrane production. The reduction in cost is an attractive factor, but it is still a challenge to produce the composite membranes as efficient as commercial membranes. Recent research and application activities with the reinforced composite membrane for PEMFC applications include impregnation of the PFSA ionomer into the PTFE support, improving proton conductivity, reducing gas permeability, and addition of radical scavengers. In this talk, our recent results from these activities will be presented. </jats:p>

Dongpeng Zhang

Journal of Physics: Conference Series • 2020

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>In order to conduct dielectric barrier discharge experiments under normal pressure and low voltage (less than 15000V), an ac high-voltage differential power supply based on series-parallel LCC-type(Inductor L and capacitor Cr, Cp are connected in series and parallel structure) resonant converter is designed. The designed power supply prototype has the advantages of small size, light weight and easy operation. The power supply prototype has been tested on loads for many times. Its output repeatability is good and it can continuously output stable sinusoidal ac voltage. At the same time, the prototype also has a strong ability to resist electromagnetic interference. Moreover, the dielectric barrier discharge experiment is carried out using copper electrode with zinc oxide nanowires and copper electrode without zinc oxide nanowires. The experimental results show that the starting voltage of the test group with nanostructures growing on the surface is smaller, about 2500V lower than that of the latter under the same dielectric conditions and discharge spacing. In terms of the discharge phenomenon, the former has a better discharge process consistency, the non-nanostructured electrode discharge is unstable, and the difference in the discharge process is obvious.</jats:p>

Anna Barra Caracciolo, Valentina Terenzi

Microorganisms • 0

<jats:p>The rhizosphere is a microhabitat where there is an intense chemical dialogue between plants and microorganisms. The two coexist and develop synergistic actions, which can promote plants’ functions and productivity, but also their capacity to respond to stress conditions, including heavy metal (HM) contamination. If HMs are present in soils used for agriculture, there is a risk of metal uptake by edible plants with subsequent bioaccumulation in humans and animals and detrimental consequences for their health. Plant productivity can also be negatively affected. Many bacteria have defensive mechanisms for resisting heavy metals and, through various complex processes, can improve plant response to HM stress. Bacteria-plant synergic interactions in the rhizosphere, as a homeostatic ecosystem response to HM disturbance, are common in soil. However, this is hard to achieve in agroecosystems managed with traditional practices, because concentrating on maximizing crop yield does not make it possible to establish rhizosphere interactions. Improving knowledge of the complex interactions mediated by plant exudates and secondary metabolites can lead to nature-based solutions for plant health in HM contaminated soils. This paper reports the main ecotoxicological effects of HMs and the various compounds (including several secondary metabolites) produced by plant-microorganism holobionts for removing, immobilizing and containing toxic elements.</jats:p>

Journal of Chemistry: Education Research and Practice • 0

<jats:p>High concentrations of heavy metals (Cadmium, Arsenic, Chromium, Lead, Mercury, Copper, Cobalt, Zinc, Nickel, and Selenium) in soil are threat to the ecosystem, human health, food safety, animal health. Heavy metal contaminants are increasing rapidly due to industrialization especially automobile industry. Previously, various techniques were developed and improved over time like encapsulation, surface capping, landfilling, soil washing, soil flushing, electro kinetic extraction, solidification, stabilization, phytoremediation, and bioremediation. These techniques minimize the contaminants by utilizing immobilization, containment and removal mechanisms. Bioremediation is a promising technique that utilizes the capability of plants and microbial resources for decontamination of ecosystem from heavy metal contaminants. Microbes have shown capability to utilize heavy metal remediation and assist plant tolerance for heavy metal accumulation. Earlier published studies have not yet completely evaluated proficiencies to large scale however, in the present review, critical analysis of reported techniques focusing on the bioremediation have been discussed. In depth analysis for the heavy metal remediation is of paramount importance of heavy metal contaminant emerging issue of soil pollution.</jats:p>

Thibault Fogeron, Yun Li, Marc Fontecave

Molecules • 0

<jats:p>Formate dehydrogenases (FDH) reversibly catalyze the interconversion of CO2 to formate. They belong to the family of molybdenum and tungsten-dependent oxidoreductases. For several decades, scientists have been synthesizing structural and functional model complexes inspired by these enzymes. These studies not only allow for finding certain efficient catalysts but also in some cases to better understand the functioning of the enzymes. However, FDH models for catalytic CO2 reduction are less studied compared to the oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction. Herein, we present recent results of structural and functional models of FDH.</jats:p>

Yuzhou Zhao

Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology • 0

<jats:p>Carbon dioxide is a significant byproduct from the usage of fossil fuels. Due to the rapid development of industry and the swift growth of urban populations, carbon dioxide has been accumulating in large quantities over the past decades. In terms of new energy research, carbon dioxide reduction has been given significant attention due to its non-toxic nature and the high utility of the products from its reduction. Electrochemical reduction, in particularly, has been highlighted for its notable benefits. This paper introduces the mechanism of electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction, its current shortcomings, and methods of improvement, summarizing the recent deficiencies and advancements in electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction. The current belief is that refining the electrolytes like ionic liquids and using catalysts such as graphene and its derivatives can enhance the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. This paper looks forward to research findings that will discover better electrolytes and catalysts to address the current deficiencies in carbon dioxide reduction and hopes to promote the full potential of electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction in future new energy applications.</jats:p>

Seung Joo Lim, Tak-Hyun Kim

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2016

<jats:p>Introduction</jats:p> <jats:p>Since husbandry industry has intensively developed, a great amount of high-strength swine wastewater has been generated. Even though several investigators have developed various processes for the treatment of swine wastewater, it was continuously required to develop more stable process high-strength wastewater. The objective of this paper was to investigate simultaneous removal of organic matter and nutrient in swine wastewater using an ion-exchange membrane system. </jats:p> <jats:p>Materials and Methods</jats:p> <jats:p>The ion-exchange membrane system consisted of three chamber (A, B and C) was separated by a cationic exchange membrane and an anionic exchange membrane(Figure 1). Ammonium ion in swine wastewater was ion-exchanged between a chamber A and a chamber B via a CEM. The ammonium ion was biologically oxidized to nitrate in a chamber B and nitrate was transported via an AEM and denitrified in a chamber C. Organic matter in the influent was acidified in a chamber A and used as electron donor for denitrification in a chamber C. COD, ammonia and phosphate used in this study were 9080.4 mg/L, 1910.6 mg/L and 43.2 mg/L. </jats:p> <jats:p>Results and Discussion</jats:p> <jats:p>Maximum COD and ammonia removal efficiencies were 86.4% and 78.4%. Average COD and ammonia removal were 77.1% and 63.6% in Figure 2. When temperature sharply decreased to 13oC, the ammonia removal efficiency maintained about 42.0% due to the high ammonium flux (1.54 mg N/m2/sec) and MLVSS ratio (0.83) in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the maximum phosphate removal efficiency was 91.0% (Ave.: 59.7%), and the phosphate removal was highly correlated with calcium consumption. This shows that phosphorus can be removed as a Ca3(PO4)2 or the coprecipitation of phosphate with calcite.</jats:p> <jats:p/> <jats:p> <jats:inline-formula> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="3260fig1.jpeg" xlink:type="simple"/> </jats:inline-formula> </jats:p> <jats:p>Figure 1</jats:p> <jats:p/>

Mohan Qin, Zhen He

Environmental Science: Water Research &amp; Technology • 0

<p>This paper reviews previous studies, describes the current status, presents qualitative and quantitative analyses, and discusses perspectives of OsBES technology, focusing on NEW recovery from wastewater .</p>

Jahanzeb Malik

European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine • 0

<jats:p>Ticagrelor is a directly acting cyclopentyltriazolo-pyrimidine which does not require conversion into an active metabolite. It inhibits the P2Y12 receptors on platelets reversibly. Unlike clopidogrel and prasugrel, resistance to ticagrelor is rarely reported. Various mechanisms have been proposed for this resistance. The case of a 62-year-old man with diabetes who had undergone index percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) 22 days previously is described. The patient presented to us with stent thrombosis. His primary PCI was successfully carried out with a drug-eluting stent. He showed resistance to ticagrelor on thromboelastography platelet mapping. He responded well to prasugrel (another P2Y12 inhibitor) in combination with aspirin.</jats:p>

Lea Bonasera

Journal of Resistance Studies • 0

<jats:p>Existing literature on nonviolent resistance typically emphasizes the elements that contribute to a campaign’s success. Conversely, mechanisms leading to the failure of such nonviolent resistance campaigns in democratic countries have been underexplored. The research is largely limited to external mechanisms of failure, which will be briefly outlined, including missed political opportunities, hard and soft repression by states and media, as well as conflicting interactions with other campaigns. Accordingly, this article analyzes the internal mechanisms explaining nonviolent resistance failure. Data from three campaigns of the German climate movement, primarily gathered through autoethnography and participatory action research, are brought into a reflective conversation with the nonviolent resistance literature to develop a framework of internal failure mechanisms. This includes: 1) lacking resources; 2) fragile organizational structures; 3) weak support bases; 4) ineffective tactics; and 5) little strategy. By gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges that campaigns face and viewing these as opportunities for constructive failure, this may increase their chances of success.</jats:p>

International Internal Medicine Journal • 0

<jats:p>Background: Resistance to antimalarial drugs often used in emerging countries, including combination therapies, has forced scientists to search for and develop drugs with novel mechanisms of action, especially resistance to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, which are highly prevalent in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. Objective: evaluate whether there is a relationship between urinalysis and resistance to in-hospital treatment of malaria in Angola. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, prospective study with a quantitative approach. Results: of the 214 patients, the resistance rate was 24.1%, men (53.6%), between 21 and 40 years old (72.7%), employees (46.4%), from peri-urban regions (77.7%), treated with artemether (90.9), with high parasitemia (57.7%) and after 5 days of treatment, remained hospitalized (61.4%). Was a significant relationship between resistance in unemployed individuals [OR: 0.03 (95% CI: 0.01-0.29), p =0.003] and high levels of parasitemia [OR: 1.09 (95% CI: 1.09-3.95), p=0.040], remained hospitalized for more than 5 days [OR: 5.28 (95% CI: 0.65-43.1), p=0.121] and death [OR: 2.59 (95% CI: 0.32-20.9), p=0.371] when compared with other subgroups. Was a significant relationship between resistance to clear urine [OR: 5.55 (95% CI: 0.72-42.7), p =0.016], few urinary crystals [OR: 11.3 (95% CI: 5.07-25.3), p &lt;0.001] and who presented some microorganisms that were not bacteria or fungi [OR: 3.02 (95% CI: 1 .32-6.90), p=0.009]. Conclusion: urine results, especially the appearance of cloudy urine, the presence of few crystals, and the presence of other microorganisms that are not bacteria or fungi, may be clear signs of resistance to hospital treatment with injectable antimalarials</jats:p>

Jean-Michel Grenier, Ramón Pérez, Mathieu Picard et al.

Energies • 0

<jats:p>Hybrid electric aero-propulsion requires high power-density electric motors. The use of a constrained optimization method with the finite element analysis (FEA) is the best way to design these motors and to find the best solutions which maximize the power density. This makes it possible to take into account all the details of the geometry as well as the non-linear characteristics of magnetic materials, the conductive material and the current control strategy. Simulations were performed with a time stepping magnetodynamic solver while taking account the rotor movement and the stator winding was connected by an external electrical circuit. This study describes the magnetic FEA direct optimization approach for the design of Halbach array permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) and its advantages. An acceptable compromise between precision and computation time to estimate the electromagnetic torque, iron losses and eddy current losses was found. The finite element simulation was paired with analytical models to compute stress on the retaining sleeve, aerodynamic losses, and copper losses. This type of design procedure can be used to find the best machine configurations and establish design rules based on the specifications and materials selected. As an example, optimization results of PM motors minimizing total losses for a 150-kW application are presented for given speeds in the 2000 rpm to 50,000 rpm range. We compare different numbers of poles and power density between 5 kW/kg and 30 kW/kg. The choice of the number of poles is discussed in the function of the motor nominal speed and targeted power density as well as the compromise between iron losses and copper losses. In addition, the interest of having the current-control strategy as an optimization variable to generate a small amount of flux weakening is clearly shown.</jats:p>

Moogambigai Sugumar, Sangeetha Dharmalingam

Journal of Power Sources • 2020

Daniele Scirè, Gianpaolo Vitale, Marco Ventimiglia et al.

Energies • 0

<jats:p>The exploitation of power inductors outside their linear region in switching converters can be achieved by raising the current until a decrease in the inductance can be noticed. This allows using a smaller magnetic core, increasing the power density of the converter. On the other hand, a detailed description of the magnetization curve including the temperature is required. Since this information is often not included in the inductor’s datasheets, this paper shows how to identify the behavior of an inductor when it is operated up to saturation and its temperature rises. In order to characterize the inductor in real operating conditions, a dedicated measurement rig was developed. It consists of a switching converter that encompasses the inductor under test and is controlled by a virtual instrument developed in LabVIEW. The characterization system was tested by retrieving the inductance and the magnetization curves vs. current for two commercial inductors at core temperatures up to 105 °C. The magnetic core was then characterized by the saturation current vs. inductance, obtaining an expression for the whole family of inductors sharing the same core. Finally, we experimentally analyzed the thermal transient of the inductors in operating conditions, confirming the fundamental role of the temperature in changing the current profiles and the core saturation condition.</jats:p>

Marco-Tulio F. Rodrigues

Journal of The Electrochemical Society • 2022

<jats:p>Capacity and coulombic efficiency are often used to assess the performance of Li-ion batteries, under the assumption that these quantities can provide direct insights about the rate of electron consumption due to growth of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Here, we show that electrode properties can actually change the amount of information about aging that can be directly retrieved from capacity measurements. During cycling of full-cells, only portions of the voltage profiles of the positive and negative electrodes are accessible, leaving a reservoir of cyclable Li<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> stored at both electrodes. The size and availability of this reservoir depends on the shape of the voltage profiles, and accessing this extra Li<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> can offset some of the capacity that is consumed by the SEI. Consequently, capacity and efficiency measurements can, at times, severely underestimate the rate of side reactions experienced by the cell. We show, for example, that a same rate of SEI growth would cause faster capacity fade in LiFePO<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> than in NMC cells, and that the perceived effects of aging depend on testing variables such as depth of discharge. Simply measuring capacity may be insufficient to gauge the true extent of aging endured by Li-ion batteries.</jats:p>