The increasing of standard living causes the increases energy consumption and waste or wastewater production. The possibility to combine wastewater treatment and electricity production can accomplish a microbial fuel cell. The possibility of wastewater treatment using the Cu-B catalyst with KMnO4 catholyte for microbial fuel cells is presented in this paper. The measurements covered comparison of changes in the concentration of COD, NH4+ and NO3- in the reactor without aeration, with aeration and with using a microbial fuel cell (with Cu-B cathode and KMnO4 catholyte). The reduction time for COD with the use of microbial fuel cell with the Cu-B catalyst (and KMnO4 catholyte) is similar to the reduction time with aeration. It has been shown that the Cu-B (with KMnO4 catholyte) can be used as cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells. Unfortunately in this case is needed to constant delivery of catholyte. ...
The possibility to combine wastewater treatment and electricity production can accomplish a microbial fuel cell. Microbial fuel cells use glucose from wastewater as a fuel. In recent years, both production of municipal and industry wastewater increases very much. Municipal wastewater is directed to the wastewater treatment plant. While industry wastewater can be use as a fertilizer. But, both municipal and industry wastewater can be used in the microbial fuel cells. The comparison of powering the microbial fuel cell with municipal and process wastewater from yeast production is presented in this paper. The measurements covered comparison of changes in the concentration of COD in the reactor without aeration, with aeration and with using a microbial fuel cell (powered with municipal and industry wastewater). The results of measurements of COD showed no differences between the microbial fuel cell powered with municipal wastewater and the microbial fuel cell powered with process yeast wastewater. But, the power output is higher with using process yeast wastewater to powering the microbial fuel cell. ...
A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a bioelectrochemical reactor in which microorganisms, feeding on organic matter, generate electricity. In such a reactor, microorganisms active on the anode form a biofilm, whose activity is a key factor determining the performance of the MFC. Biofilm also forms in water transfer installations, in substrate transfer installations in biogas plants, etc. However, in such cases such biofilm can be a source of microbiological infections or corrosion. In addition, such biofilm is composed of various microorganisms, not necessarily producing electrons. In the case of biofilm formed on the electrode in MFC, the most important thing is to build a thin layer of biofilm from electron-producing microorganisms. This paper discusses the theoretical part of biofilm (bio-catalyst) formation and carries out the procedure of building a biofilm on a carbon electrode. It has been shown that to obtain a biofilm capable of generating electricity, at least three start-ups are necessary before the electrode reaches the appropriate operating parameters. After obtaining a ready-to-use electrode with an active biofilm, measurements of electricity generation in the MFC were carried out. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of performing multiple startups to achieve a suitable working electrode with an active biofilm. ...
