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Chaetoceros algae at 10 mg/mL concentration improved MFC performance by suppressing methanogens and increasing coulombic efficiency.

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Literature priors

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Coulombic efficiency7.25%

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What they did

System
MFC

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Abstract

Abstract The marine algae Chaetoceros contains hexadecatrienoic acid, which suppresses methanogen development and improves the coulombic efficiency (CE) of microbial fuel cells (MFC). To inhibit the methanogens, optimum concentration of marine algae should be added to the anaerobic sludge to enhance the performance of MFC. A varying concentration of Chaetoceros ranging from 1 to 20 mg/mL was carried out for pretreatment of an anaerobic-mix consortium to suppress methanogens. MFC inoculated with pretreated anaerobic sludge with 10 mg/mL Chaetoceros showed a maximum power density of 21.62 W/m³ and a maximum CE of 37.25%, which was considerably higher than the treatment with other concentrations. At 10 mg/mL concentration, Tafel analysis of the anode in the MFC showed a higher exchange current density of 66.35 mA/m² and a lower charge transfer resistance of 0.97 Ω.m², revealing higher bio-electrochemical activity. The performance of MFC improved when the concentration of Chaetoceros was increased up to 10 mg/mL, but then began to decline as the concentration increased further. Thus, the optimum dose of Chaetoceros to be added in the mix-anaerobic consortium to optimize the power performance of MFC was determined, which can be carried out in scaled-up MFCs.

Key findings

  • MFC with 10 mg/mL Chaetoceros pretreated anaerobic sludge showed maximum power density of 21.62 W/m³ and CE of 37.25%.
  • Tafel analysis revealed higher exchange current density and lower charge transfer resistance at 10 mg/mL concentration.
  • MFC performance improved up to 10 mg/mL Chaetoceros concentration, then declined with further increase.

Keywords

Microbial fuel cellMethanogenesisChaetocerosAnaerobic exercisePulp and paper industryEnvironmental engineering

Identifiers

DOI
10.2166/wst.2021.510
Journal
Water Science and Technology
Year
2021