Power Generation from Phenol Degradation Using a Microbial Fuel Cell

Abstract

Different organics have different effects on the power generation of microbial fuel cell. A double-chamber Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) was constructed to investigate organic matter degradation and power generation. Experiments were conducted using an initial phenol concentration of 500mg/L with different glucose concentrations (500 , 250 , and 100mg/L) as the MFC fuel . Results showed that maximum voltages decreased with the decrease of concentration of glucose and the maximum voltage was 434 mV. The cycle time were 170 , 146 ,141h respectively. Correspondingly , the maximal area power densities were 10.23 mw/m2,5.02mw/m 2 ,3.15 mw/m 2 . phenol and COD removal rate reached 28%-33.3% and 31.1%-54.74% respectively after one cycle. However, maximum voltage was 201 mV when using 500 mg/L phenol as sole fuel. The results indicated that phenol could be used in the MFC for generating power while at the same time effectively accomplishing biodegradation. The MFC technology may provide a new method to offset operating costs, making advanced remediation measures for difficult to degrade organic materials more affordable for practical applications.

Key findings

• ▸Results showed that maximum voltages decreased with the decrease of concentration of glucose and the maximum voltage was 434 mV.
• ▸23 mw/m2,5.
• ▸02mw/m²,3.
• ▸15 mw/m².
• ▸phenol and COD removal rate reached 28%-33.

Keywords

Identifiers

DOI

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.512-515.1432

Journal

Advanced Materials Research

Year

2012