Department of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, USA.
Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Oct 16;46(20):11459-66. doi: 10.1021/es303144n. Epub 2012 Oct 4.
An integrated photobioelectrochemical (IPB) system was developed by installing a microbial fuel cell (MFC) inside an algal bioreactor. This system achieves the simultaneous removal from a synthetic solution of organics (in the MFC) and nutrients (in the algal bioreactor), and the production of bioenergy in electricity and algal biomass through bioelectrochemical and microbiological processes. During the one-year operation, the IPB system removed more than 92% of chemical oxygen demand, 98% of ammonium nitrogen, and 82% of phosphate and produced a maximum power density of 2.2 W/m(3) and 128 mg/L of algal biomass. The algal growth provided dissolved oxygen to the cathode reaction of the MFC, whereas electrochemical oxygen reduction on the MFC cathode buffered the pH of the algal growth medium (which was also the catholyte). The system performance was affected by illumination and dissolved oxygen. Initial energy analysis showed that the IPB system could theoretically produce enough energy to cover its consumption; however, further improvement of electricity production is desired. An analysis of the attached and suspended microbes in the cathode revealed diverse bacterial taxa typical of aquatic and soil bacterial communities with functional roles in contaminant degradation and nutrient cycling.
开发了一种集成光电化学（IPB）系统，即将微生物燃料电池（MFC）安装在藻类生物反应器内。该系统通过生物电化学和微生物过程，从合成溶液中同时去除有机物（在 MFC 中）和养分（在藻类生物反应器中），并生产电能和藻类生物质作为生物能。在一年的运行过程中，IPB 系统去除了超过 92%的化学需氧量、98%的氨氮和 82%的磷酸盐，产生了最大的 2.2 W/m³功率密度和 128 mg/L 的藻类生物质。藻类生长为 MFC 的阴极反应提供了溶解氧，而 MFC 阴极上的电化学氧气还原则缓冲了藻类生长介质的 pH 值（该介质也是阴极液）。系统性能受到光照和溶解氧的影响。初步的能量分析表明，IPB 系统理论上可以产生足够的能量来覆盖其消耗；然而，需要进一步提高发电效率。对阴极附着和悬浮微生物的分析揭示了不同的细菌类群，这些细菌类群是典型的水生和土壤细菌群落，具有在污染物降解和养分循环中发挥作用的功能。
