Tran Hung-Thuan, Kim Dae-Hee, Oh Se-Jin, Rasool Kashif, Park Doo-Hyun, Zhang Rui-Hong, Ahn Dae-Hee
Division of Environmental Engineering and Biotechnology, Myongji University, San 38-2 Namdong, Yongin Kyonggido 449-728, South Korea.
Water Sci Technol. 2009;59(9):1803-8. doi: 10.2166/wst.2009.209.
Simultaneous organics removal and nitrification using a novel nitrifying biocathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) reactor were investigated in this study. Remarkably, the introduction of nitrifying biomass into the cathode chamber caused higher voltage outputs than that of MFC operated with the abiotic cathode. Results showed the maximum power density increased 18% when cathode was run under the biotic condition and fed by nitrifying medium with alkalinity/NH4+-N ratio of 8 (26 against 22 mW/m2). The voltage output was not differentiated when NH4+-N concentration was increased from 50 to 100 mg/L under such alkalinity/NH4+-N ratio. However, interestingly, the cell voltage rose significantly when the alkalinity/NH4+-N ratio was decreased to 6. Consequently, the maximum power density increased 68% in compared with the abiotic cathode MFC (37 against 22 mW/m2). Polarization curves demonstrated that both activation and concentration losses were lowered during the period of nitrifying biocathode operation. Ammonium was totally nitrified and mostly converted to nitrate in all cases of the biotic cathode conditions. High COD removal efficiency (98%) was achieved. In light of the results presented here, the application of nitrifying biocathode is not only able to integrate the nitrogen and carbon removal but also to enhance the power generation in MFC system. Our system can be suggested to open up a new feasible way for upgrading and retrofitting the existing wastewater treatment plant by the use of MFC-based technologies.
本研究对使用新型硝化生物阴极微生物燃料电池（MFC）反应器同时去除有机物和进行硝化作用进行了研究。值得注意的是，将硝化生物质引入阴极室所产生的电压输出高于使用非生物阴极运行的MFC。结果表明，当阴极在生物条件下运行并以碱度/NH4+-N比为8的硝化介质进料时，最大功率密度提高了18%（从22 mW/m2提高到26 mW/m2）。在这种碱度/NH4+-N比下，当NH4+-N浓度从50 mg/L增加到100 mg/L时，电压输出没有差异。然而，有趣的是，当碱度/NH4+-N比降至6时，电池电压显著上升。因此，与非生物阴极MFC相比，最大功率密度提高了68%（从22 mW/m2提高到37 mW/m2）。极化曲线表明，在硝化生物阴极运行期间，活化损失和浓度损失均有所降低。在所有生物阴极条件下，铵都被完全硝化并大部分转化为硝酸盐。实现了较高的COD去除效率（98%）。鉴于此处给出的结果，硝化生物阴极的应用不仅能够整合氮和碳的去除，还能提高MFC系统中的发电效率。我们的系统可为利用基于MFC的技术对现有污水处理厂进行升级和改造开辟一条新的可行途径。
