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A study on using MnCo2O4 electrode in microbial fuel cells to treat pharmaceutical wastewater and recover energy content.

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What they did

System
MFC

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Abstract

The wastewater produced by the pharmaceutical industry is highly organic and toxic. Dual-chambered microbial fuel cells (DMFCs) may represent a sustainable solution to process wastewater while simultaneously recovering its energy content. DMFCs are bio-electrochemical devices that employ microorganisms to transform the chemical energy of organic compounds into electrical energy. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a DMFC with a manganese cobalt oxide-coated activated carbon fiber felt (MnCo2O4-ACFF) electrode to treat pharmaceutical industry wastewater (PW) and exploit its energy content. The proposed technology is experimentally investigated considering the effect of the organic load (OL) on the system performance in terms of organic content removal and electricity production. As per the experimental campaign results, the optimum OL for achieving maximum removal efficiencies for total chemical oxygen demand, soluble oxygen demand, and total suspended solids was found to be 2 g COD/L. At this value of OL, the highest current and power densities of 420 mA/m² and 348 mW/m² were obtained. Therefore, based on the outcomes of the experimental campaign, the (MnCo2O4-ACFF) electrode DMFC technique was found to be a sustainable and effective process for the treatment and energy recovery from PW.

Key findings

  • Optimum organic load for maximum removal efficiencies was found to be 2 g COD/L.
  • Highest current and power densities of 420 mA/m² and 348 mW/m² were obtained at optimum organic load.
  • MnCo2O4-ACFF electrode demonstrated feasibility in treating pharmaceutical wastewater and recovering energy content.

Keywords

Microbial fuel cellChemical oxygen demandWastewaterChemical energyCobalt oxideSewage treatment

Identifiers

DOI
10.3390/su16135654
Journal
Sustainability
Year
2024