Continuous Electricity Generation and Pollutant Removal from Swine Wastewater using a Single-chambered Air-cathode Microbial Fuel Cell

摘要

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) represents a new method for simultaneously swine wastewater treatment and electricity generation. However, few studies revealed the high electricity generation and pollutant removal using a large-scale single-chambered MFC in treating swine wastewater. Results indicated optimal hydraulic retention time (HRT) of swine wastewater was 8 d considering the removal efficiency and the power density. Under this condition, this MFC system removed 85.62% TCOD and 73.6% NH_3 as well as achieved power density of 368 mW/m~2. Results also showed the maximum power density of the MFC was 382.5±10.6 mW/m2 MFC at 350 Ω.. TCOD concentration in the swine wastewater was limiting factor for power output. The maximum power density was P_(max)= 385 mW/m~2, with a half-saturation concentration of Ks=2,050 mg/1. To our knowledge, this is the first time to demonstrate the electricity characteristics of a large-scale single-chambered MFC in treating swine wastewater.