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Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery
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Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B: Energy and Environment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 17373

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Booki Min

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Seocheon-dong, Yongin-si 446-701, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Interests: microbial fuel cell; microbial electrosynthesis; anaerobic digestion; biological wastewater treatment; bio/electrochemical reactions; environmental transport process
Dr. Md Tabish Noori

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University – Global Campus, Yongin-si 446-701, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Interests: microbial electrosynthesis; electrmethanation; porous materials; electron transfer process; electrofermentation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since the advent of microbial electrochemical technologies (METs), there has been enormous development in this technology for numerous energy and environmental applications, including wastewater treatment and electricity recovery using microbial fuel cells, driving low energy drinking water from saline water using microbial desalination cells (MDCs), reducing CO2 into valuable organic compounds using microbial electrosynthesis cells (MESs), and electroferementation to name but a few. Despite being an advantageous technology, the scalable application of METs has rarely been achieved since their conception due to several inherent issues, including the reactor configurations, electrode materials, and microbial consortium. Therefore, researchers are trying to develop efficient reactor configurations and highly active electrode materials and microbes to reduce these losses as much as possible. Thus, if these three bottlenecks are addressed, METs may be a marketable technology in the near future, especially for wastewater treatment and resource recovery to fit into the theme of the (bio)circular economy.

With a view to covering recent progress in METs in order to commercialize this technology, we are presenting this Special Issue—Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery. We are excited to invite you to submit your review and research articles on the following themes:

  • Lab to pilot-scale microbial fuel cells, microbial electrosynthesis cells, constructed wetland MFCs, and sediment microbial fuel cells.
  • Design and development of novel materials to improve anode and cathode reaction kinetics.
  • Algal cathodes.
  • Microbial enrichment and inoculation methods.
  • Novel reactor design and operation.
  • Application of METs for emerging pollutant treatments.
  • Integration of METs with anaerobic digestors for hydrogen, methane, and biohythane production.
  • Heavy metal and organic pollutant detection using METs.
  • Life cycle analysis (LCA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA).
  • Novel methods and model development for performance evaluation of METs.

Prof. Dr. Booki Min
Dr. Md Tabish Noori
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbial electrochemical technologies
  • wastewater treatment
  • bioresource recovery
  • (bio)circular economy

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 2332 KiB  
Article
Development of a Primary Sewage Sludge Pretreatment Strategy Using a Combined Alkaline–Ultrasound Pretreatment for Enhancing Microbial Electrolysis Cell Performance
by Hwijin Seo, Anna Joicy, Myoung Eun Lee, Chaeyoung Rhee, Seung Gu Shin, Si-Kyung Cho and Yongtae Ahn
Energies 2023, 16(10), 3986; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16103986 - 09 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1210
Abstract
Ultrasound and combined alkaline–ultrasound pretreatment (AUP) strategies were examined for primary sewage sludge (SS) disintegration and were utilized to evaluate the degree of solubilization (DS). Further, the pretreated primary SS was operated in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) to maximize methane production and thereby [...] Read more.
Ultrasound and combined alkaline–ultrasound pretreatment (AUP) strategies were examined for primary sewage sludge (SS) disintegration and were utilized to evaluate the degree of solubilization (DS). Further, the pretreated primary SS was operated in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) to maximize methane production and thereby improve the reactor performance. The highest DS of 67.2% of primary SS was recorded with the AUP. MEC reactors operated with the AUP showed the highest methane production (240 ± 6.4 mL g VSin−1). VS (61.1%) and COD (72.2%) removal in the MEC ALK-US showed the best organic matter removal efficiency. In the modified Gompertz analysis, the substrate with the highest degree of solubilization (AUP) had the shortest lag phase (0.2 ± 0.1 d). This implies that forced hydrolysis via pretreatment could enhance biodegradability, thereby making it easy for microorganisms to consume and leading to improved MEC performances. Microbial analysis implicitly demonstrated that pretreatment expedited the growth of hydrolytic bacteria (Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes), and a syntrophic interaction with electroactive microorganisms (Smithella) and hydrogenotrophic methanogens (Methanoculleus) was enriched in the MECs with AUP sludge. This suggests that the AUP strategy could be useful to enhance anaerobic digestion performance and provide a new perspective on treating primary SS in an economical way. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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16 pages, 2562 KiB  
Article
Power Generation by Halophilic Bacteria and Assessment of the Effect of Salinity on Performance of a Denitrifying Microbial Fuel Cell
by Ankisha Vijay, Prakash C. Ghosh and Suparna Mukherji
Energies 2023, 16(2), 877; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16020877 - 12 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1610
Abstract
Saline wastewater pollution is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. The present study focused on the development of a dual-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) treating saline wastewater at the anode. Halophilic exo-electrogenic bacteria enriched from seawater (Arabian Sea, Mumbai, India) were [...] Read more.
Saline wastewater pollution is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. The present study focused on the development of a dual-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) treating saline wastewater at the anode. Halophilic exo-electrogenic bacteria enriched from seawater (Arabian Sea, Mumbai, India) were used in the anodic chamber of the MFC. Denitrification using denitrifying bacteria was employed in the cathodic chamber. The maximum power density was significantly increased from 96.77 mW/m2 to 162.09 mW/m2 with a rise in NaCl concentration from 20 to 40 g/L. Nitrate removal in the cathode chamber increased from 80 ± 3% to 89 ± 3.2% with increase in salt concentration from 20 g/L to 40 g/L and concomitantly COD removal in the anode chamber increased from 76 ± 3.8% to 83 ± 4%. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis revealed higher electrochemical activity at 40 g/L salt concentration. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis exhibited that charge transfer and solution resistances were lower when the salinity was increased. Microbial community analysis revealed the presence of Clostridium, Shewanella, and Bacillus as the most abundant genera in the anodic chamber. This study demonstrated the dual applicability of the system targeted for removal of organics from saline wastewater and nitrate removal from contaminated wastewater accompanied by power generation from the MFC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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14 pages, 1963 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Potential of Multi-Anodes in Constructed Wetlands Coupled with Microbial Fuel Cells for Treating Wastewater and Bioelectricity Generation under High Organic Loads
by Prashansa Tamta, Neetu Rani, Yamini Mittal and Asheesh Kumar Yadav
Energies 2023, 16(2), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16020784 - 10 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1675
Abstract
Multiple anodes can significantly enhance the treatment potential of constructed wetlands coupled with a microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC) system, which has not yet been explored. Thus, the present study evaluates the potential of multi-anodes and single cathode-based CW-MFC at significantly higher organic loading [...] Read more.
Multiple anodes can significantly enhance the treatment potential of constructed wetlands coupled with a microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC) system, which has not yet been explored. Thus, the present study evaluates the potential of multi-anodes and single cathode-based CW-MFC at significantly higher organic loading rates for treatment performance and bioelectricity generation. For this purpose, two identical but different materials, i.e., graphite granules (GG) and granular activated charcoal (GAC), were used to set up multiple anodes and single cathode-based CW-MFCs. The graphite granules (GG)-based system is named CW-MFC (GG), and the granular activated charcoal (GAC) based system is named as CW-MFC (GAC). These systems were evaluated for chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH4+-N removal efficiency, and electrical output at relatively higher organic loading rates of 890.11 g COD/m3-d and 1781.32 g COD/m3-d. At an OLR of 890.11 g COD/m3-d, the treatment efficiency was found to be 24.8% more in CW-MFC (GAC) than CW-MFC (GG), whereas it was 22.73% more for CW-MFC (GAC) when OLR was increased to 1781.32 g COD/m3-d. Whereas, NH4+-N removal efficiency was more in CW-MFC (GG) i.e., 56.29 ± 7% and 56.09 ± 3.9%, compared to CW-MFC (GAC) of 36.59 ± 3.8% and 50.59 ± 7% at OLR of 890.11 g COD/m3-d and 1781.32 g COD/m3-d, respectively. A maximum power density of 48.30 mW/m3 and a current density of 375.67 mA/m3 was produced for CW-MFC (GAC) under an organic loading rate of 890.11 g COD/m3-d. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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21 pages, 4759 KiB  
Article
Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste Biorefinery
by Jiang-Hao Tian, Rémy Lacroix, Asim Ali Yaqoob, Chrystelle Bureau, Cédric Midoux, Elie Desmond-Le Quéméner and Théodore Bouchez
Energies 2023, 16(2), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16020591 - 04 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2008
Abstract
Microbial electrochemical technologies now enable microbial electrosynthesis (MES) of organic compounds using microbial electrolysis cells handling waste organic materials. An electrolytic cell with an MES cathode may generate soluble organic molecules at a higher market price than biomethane, thereby satisfying both economic and [...] Read more.
Microbial electrochemical technologies now enable microbial electrosynthesis (MES) of organic compounds using microbial electrolysis cells handling waste organic materials. An electrolytic cell with an MES cathode may generate soluble organic molecules at a higher market price than biomethane, thereby satisfying both economic and environmental goals. However, the long-term viability of bioanode activity might become a major concern. In this work, a 15-L MES reactor was designed with specific electrode configurations. An electrochemical model was established to assess the feasibility and possible performance of the design, considering the aging of the bioanode. The reactor was then constructed and tested for performance as well as a bioanode regeneration assay. Biowaste from an industrial deconditioning platform was used as a substrate for bioanode. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate in the anodic chamber reached 0.83 g day−1 L−1 of anolyte. Acetate was produced with a rate of 0.53 g day−1 L−1 of catholyte, reaching a maximum concentration of 8.3 g L−1. A potential difference (from 0.6 to 1.2 V) was applied between the bioanode and biocathode independent of reference electrodes. The active biocathode was dominated by members of the genus Pseudomonas, rarely reported so far for MES activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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12 pages, 4207 KiB  
Article
Power Generation and Microbial Community Shift According to Applied Anodic Potential in Electroactive Biofilm Reactors Treating Synthetic and Domestic Wastewater
by Jaecheul Yu, Hana Park, Younghyun Park and Taeho Lee
Energies 2022, 15(24), 9459; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249459 - 13 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 978
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of initially set anodic potentials (−0.3, −0.2, −0.1 and +0.1 V) on voltage production and microbial community in electroactive biofilm reactors (EBRs) treating synthetic and domestic wastewater (WW). In phase 1, EBRs were acclimated with different anodic potentials [...] Read more.
This study investigated the effect of initially set anodic potentials (−0.3, −0.2, −0.1 and +0.1 V) on voltage production and microbial community in electroactive biofilm reactors (EBRs) treating synthetic and domestic wastewater (WW). In phase 1, EBRs were acclimated with different anodic potentials for synthetic and domestic WW. EBR (SE4) poised with +0.1 V showed the highest maximum power density (420 mW/m2) for synthetic WW, while EBR (DE3) poised with −0.1 V showed the highest maximum power density (235 mW/m2) for domestic WW. In phase 2, the EBRs were operated with a fixed external resistance (100 Ω for synthetic WW and 500 Ω for domestic WW) after the applied potentials were stopped. The EBRs showed slightly different voltage productions depending on the WW type and the initial anodic potential, but both EBRs applied with +0.1 V for synthetic (SE4) and domestic (DE4) WW showed the highest voltage production. Principal component analysis results based on denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis band profiles showed that the microbial community was completely different depending on the WW type. Nevertheless, it was found that the microbial community of EBRs applied with a negative potential (−0.3, −0.2, and −0.1 V) seemed to shift to those of EBRs applied with a positive potential (+0.1 V) regardless of WW type. Therefore, positive anodic potential is an important operating factor in electroactive biofilm development and voltage generation for rapid start-up. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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15 pages, 2587 KiB  
Article
Ammonia Removal by Simultaneous Nitrification and Denitrification in a Single Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell
by Sanath Kondaveeti, Dae-Hyeon Choi, Md Tabish Noori and Booki Min
Energies 2022, 15(23), 9171; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15239171 - 03 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1735
Abstract
Ammonia removal from wastewater was successfully achieved by simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) in a double-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). The MEC operations at different applied voltages (0.7 to 1.5 V) and initial ammonia concentrations (30 to 150 mg/L) were conducted in order [...] Read more.
Ammonia removal from wastewater was successfully achieved by simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) in a double-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). The MEC operations at different applied voltages (0.7 to 1.5 V) and initial ammonia concentrations (30 to 150 mg/L) were conducted in order to evaluate their effects on MEC performance in batch mode. The maximum nitrification efficiency of 96.8% was obtained in the anode at 1.5 V, followed by 94.11% at 1.0 V and 87.05% at 0.7. At 1.5 V, the initial ammonia concentration considerably affected the nitrification rate, and the highest nitrification rate constant of 0.1601/h was determined from a first-order linear regression at 30 mg/L ammonium nitrogen. The overall total nitrogen removal efficiency was noted to be 85% via the SND in the MEC operated at an initial ammonium concentration of 50 mg/L and an applied cell voltage of 1.5 V. The MEC operation in continuous mode could remove ammonia (50 mg/L) in a series of anode and cathode chambers at the nitrogen removal rate of 170 g-N/m3.d at an HRT of 15. This study suggests that a standalone dual-chamber MEC can efficiently remove ammonia via the SND process without needing additional organic substrate and aeration, which makes this system viable for field applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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Review

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34 pages, 1891 KiB  
Review
Dairy Wastewater as a Potential Feedstock for Valuable Production with Concurrent Wastewater Treatment through Microbial Electrochemical Technologies
by Anusha Ganta, Yasser Bashir and Sovik Das
Energies 2022, 15(23), 9084; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15239084 - 30 Nov 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3698
Abstract
A milk-processing plant was drafted as a distinctive staple industry amid the diverse field of industries. Dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, milk powder, etc., consume a huge amount of water not only for product processing, but also for sanitary purposes and for [...] Read more.
A milk-processing plant was drafted as a distinctive staple industry amid the diverse field of industries. Dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, milk powder, etc., consume a huge amount of water not only for product processing, but also for sanitary purposes and for washing dairy-based industrial gear. Henceforth, the wastewater released after the above-mentioned operations comprises a greater concentration of nutrients, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and organic and inorganic contents that can pose severe ecological issues if not managed effectively. The well-known processes such as coagulation–flocculation, membrane technologies, electrocoagulation, and other biological processes such as use of a sequencing batch reactor, upflow sludge anaerobic blanket reactor, etc., that are exploited for the treatment of dairy effluent are extremely energy-exhaustive and acquire huge costs in terms of fabrication and maintenance. In addition, these processes are not competent in totally removing various contaminants that exist in dairy effluent. Accordingly, to decrease the energy need, microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) can be effectively employed, thereby also compensating the purification charges by converting the chemical energy present in impurities into bioelectricity and value-added products. Based on this, the current review article illuminates the application of diverse METs as a suitable substitute for traditional technology for treating dairy wastewater. Additionally, several hindrances on the way to real-world application and techno-economic assessment of revolutionary METs are also deliberated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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22 pages, 5146 KiB  
Review
Bioelectrochemical Remediation for the Removal of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contaminants in Soil
by Md Tabish Noori, Dayakar Thatikayala and Booki Min
Energies 2022, 15(22), 8457; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228457 - 12 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1677
Abstract
Consistent accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) in soil and sediments is a big concern and, thus, warrants a static technology to continuously remediate PH-contaminated soil. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) can offer the desired solution using the inimitable metabolic response of electroactive microbes without involving [...] Read more.
Consistent accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) in soil and sediments is a big concern and, thus, warrants a static technology to continuously remediate PH-contaminated soil. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) can offer the desired solution using the inimitable metabolic response of electroactive microbes without involving a physiochemical process. To date, a wide range of BES-based applications for PH bioremediations under different environmental conditions is readily available in the literature. Here, the latest development trend in BESs for PH bioremediation is critically analyzed and discussed. The reactor design and operational factors that affect the performance of BESs and their strategic manipulations such as designing novel reactors to improve anodic reactions, enhancing soil physiology (electrical conductivity, mass diffusion, hydraulic conductivity), electrode modifications, operational conditions, microbial communities, etc., are elaborated to fortify the understanding of this technology for future research. Most of the literature noticed that a low mass diffusion condition in soil restricts the microbes from interacting with the contaminant farther to the electrodes. Therefore, more research efforts are warranted, mainly to optimize soil parameters by specific amendments, electrode modifications, optimizing experimental parameters, integrating different technologies, and conducting life cycle and life cycle cost analysis to make this technology viable for field-scale applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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18 pages, 2125 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Study on Air-Cathode Limitations and Its Mitigation Strategies in Microbial Desalination Cell—A Review
by Noor Juma Al Balushi, Jagdeep Kumar Nayak, Sadik Rahman, Ahmad Sana and Abdullah Al-Mamun
Energies 2022, 15(20), 7459; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207459 - 11 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1723
Abstract
Microbial desalination cells (MDCs) are promising bioelectrochemical systems for desalination using the bacteria-generated electricity from the biodegradation of organic wastes contained in the wastewater. Instead of being a sustainable and eco-friendly desalination technology, the large-scale application of MDC was limited due to the [...] Read more.
Microbial desalination cells (MDCs) are promising bioelectrochemical systems for desalination using the bacteria-generated electricity from the biodegradation of organic wastes contained in the wastewater. Instead of being a sustainable and eco-friendly desalination technology, the large-scale application of MDC was limited due to the high installation cost of the metal-catalyst-coated cathode electrode and the poor performance of the cathode in long-term operation due to catalyst fouling. Such cathodic limitations have hindered its large-scale application. The cathodic limitation has arisen mainly because of three losses, such as (1) Ohmic loss, (2) mass transfer loss, and (3) activation loss. The catalyst-assisted cathodic reduction reaction is an electrochemical surface phenomenon; thereby, the cathode’s surface charge transfer and thermodynamic efficiency are crucial for reaction kinetics. This review article aims to provide an overview of the MDC process, performance indicators, and summarizes the limiting factors that could hinder the process performance. Then, the article represented a comprehensive summary of the air-cathodic limitations and the mechanisms applied to improve the air-cathodic limitations in MDC to enhance the cathodic reaction kinetics through cathode surface modification through catalysts. The study is significantly different from other review studies by the precise identification and illustration of the cathodic losses and their mitigation strategies through surface modification. The details about the role of photocatalysts in the minimization of the cathode losses and improvement of the performance of MDC were well presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and Bioresource Recovery)
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