Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste Biorefinery

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, there...

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Main Authors: Jiang-Hao Tian, Rémy Lacroix, Asim Ali Yaqoob, Chrystelle Bureau, Cédric Midoux, Elie Desmond-Le Quéméner, Théodore Bouchez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/2/591
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author Jiang-Hao Tian
Rémy Lacroix
Asim Ali Yaqoob
Chrystelle Bureau
Cédric Midoux
Elie Desmond-Le Quéméner
Théodore Bouchez
author_facet Jiang-Hao Tian
Rémy Lacroix
Asim Ali Yaqoob
Chrystelle Bureau
Cédric Midoux
Elie Desmond-Le Quéméner
Théodore Bouchez
author_sort Jiang-Hao Tian
collection DOAJ
description 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<sup>−1</sup> L<sup>−1</sup> of anolyte. Acetate was produced with a rate of 0.53 g day<sup>−1</sup> L<sup>−1</sup> of catholyte, reaching a maximum concentration of 8.3 g L<sup>−1</sup>. 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 <i>Pseudomonas</i>, rarely reported so far for MES activity.
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spelling doaj.art-5231e8ec27834e228c2ac19b833a1d712023-11-30T22:01:15ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732023-01-0116259110.3390/en16020591Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste BiorefineryJiang-Hao Tian0Rémy Lacroix1Asim Ali Yaqoob2Chrystelle Bureau3Cédric Midoux4Elie Desmond-Le Quéméner5Théodore Bouchez6Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, PROSE, 92160 Antony, France6TMIC Ingénieries, 9 Rue du Développement, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, FranceUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, PROSE, 92160 Antony, FranceUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, PROSE, 92160 Antony, FranceUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, PROSE, 92160 Antony, FranceUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, PROSE, 92160 Antony, FranceUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, PROSE, 92160 Antony, FranceMicrobial 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<sup>−1</sup> L<sup>−1</sup> of anolyte. Acetate was produced with a rate of 0.53 g day<sup>−1</sup> L<sup>−1</sup> of catholyte, reaching a maximum concentration of 8.3 g L<sup>−1</sup>. 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 <i>Pseudomonas</i>, rarely reported so far for MES activity.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/2/591carbon storageenvironmental biorefinerymicrobial electrolysismicrobial electrosynthesisupscaling
spellingShingle Jiang-Hao Tian
Rémy Lacroix
Asim Ali Yaqoob
Chrystelle Bureau
Cédric Midoux
Elie Desmond-Le Quéméner
Théodore Bouchez
Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste Biorefinery
Energies
carbon storage
environmental biorefinery
microbial electrolysis
microbial electrosynthesis
upscaling
title Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste Biorefinery
title_full Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste Biorefinery
title_fullStr Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste Biorefinery
title_full_unstemmed Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste Biorefinery
title_short Study of a Pilot Scale Microbial Electrosynthesis Reactor for Organic Waste Biorefinery
title_sort study of a pilot scale microbial electrosynthesis reactor for organic waste biorefinery
topic carbon storage
environmental biorefinery
microbial electrolysis
microbial electrosynthesis
upscaling
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/2/591
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