Coupling Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic System for Electricity Generation, Organic Removal, and Nutrient Recovery via Plant Production from Wastewater
The world is predicted to face serious threats from the depletion of non-renewable energy resources, freshwater shortage, and food scarcity. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are innovative bio-electrochemical devices capable of directly converting chemical energy into electrical energy using microorganis...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/9211 |
| _version_ | 1797463226262224896 |
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| author | N. Evelin Paucar Chikashi Sato |
| author_facet | N. Evelin Paucar Chikashi Sato |
| author_sort | N. Evelin Paucar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The world is predicted to face serious threats from the depletion of non-renewable energy resources, freshwater shortage, and food scarcity. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are innovative bio-electrochemical devices capable of directly converting chemical energy into electrical energy using microorganisms as a catalyst. This ability has been explored for generating electricity using wastewater as an energy source, while simultaneously treating wastewater. On the other hand, hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in water without soil. The goal of this study was to develop a novel integrated microbial fuel cell-hydroponic system (MFC-Hyp system) that possesses the ability to concurrently generate electricity while degrading organic pollutants (Chemical oxygen demand, COD) in wastewater, remove and recover nutrients (phosphorus, P and nitrogen, N) from the wastewater, and produce edible plants. The MFC-Hyp system developed in this study produced a power density of 250.7 mW/m<sup>2</sup>. The power density increased by approximately 19% and the phosphorus recovery increased to 7.5% in the presence of <i>Allium tuberosum</i> compared to 4.9% without the plant (e.g., in the control). The removal efficiencies of nitrate, phosphate, and COD are 32%, 11%, and 80%, respectively. The results indicate that the novel integrated MFC-Hyp system can remove COD from wastewater, generate electricity using wastewater as an energy source, and utilize nutrients for growing plants; however, this system requires further improvement for field implementation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:48:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a5087fb4fff045059e2dbecf32af75cb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:48:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5087fb4fff045059e2dbecf32af75cb2023-11-24T10:57:08ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-12-011523921110.3390/en15239211Coupling Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic System for Electricity Generation, Organic Removal, and Nutrient Recovery via Plant Production from WastewaterN. Evelin Paucar0Chikashi Sato1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Idaho State University, 921 S. 8th Ave., Stop 8060, Pocatello, ID 83209, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Idaho State University, 921 S. 8th Ave., Stop 8060, Pocatello, ID 83209, USAThe world is predicted to face serious threats from the depletion of non-renewable energy resources, freshwater shortage, and food scarcity. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are innovative bio-electrochemical devices capable of directly converting chemical energy into electrical energy using microorganisms as a catalyst. This ability has been explored for generating electricity using wastewater as an energy source, while simultaneously treating wastewater. On the other hand, hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in water without soil. The goal of this study was to develop a novel integrated microbial fuel cell-hydroponic system (MFC-Hyp system) that possesses the ability to concurrently generate electricity while degrading organic pollutants (Chemical oxygen demand, COD) in wastewater, remove and recover nutrients (phosphorus, P and nitrogen, N) from the wastewater, and produce edible plants. The MFC-Hyp system developed in this study produced a power density of 250.7 mW/m<sup>2</sup>. The power density increased by approximately 19% and the phosphorus recovery increased to 7.5% in the presence of <i>Allium tuberosum</i> compared to 4.9% without the plant (e.g., in the control). The removal efficiencies of nitrate, phosphate, and COD are 32%, 11%, and 80%, respectively. The results indicate that the novel integrated MFC-Hyp system can remove COD from wastewater, generate electricity using wastewater as an energy source, and utilize nutrients for growing plants; however, this system requires further improvement for field implementation.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/9211MFCelectricity generationnutrient removalnutrient recoverywastewater treatmenthydroponics |
| spellingShingle | N. Evelin Paucar Chikashi Sato Coupling Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic System for Electricity Generation, Organic Removal, and Nutrient Recovery via Plant Production from Wastewater Energies MFC electricity generation nutrient removal nutrient recovery wastewater treatment hydroponics |
| title | Coupling Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic System for Electricity Generation, Organic Removal, and Nutrient Recovery via Plant Production from Wastewater |
| title_full | Coupling Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic System for Electricity Generation, Organic Removal, and Nutrient Recovery via Plant Production from Wastewater |
| title_fullStr | Coupling Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic System for Electricity Generation, Organic Removal, and Nutrient Recovery via Plant Production from Wastewater |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coupling Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic System for Electricity Generation, Organic Removal, and Nutrient Recovery via Plant Production from Wastewater |
| title_short | Coupling Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic System for Electricity Generation, Organic Removal, and Nutrient Recovery via Plant Production from Wastewater |
| title_sort | coupling microbial fuel cell and hydroponic system for electricity generation organic removal and nutrient recovery via plant production from wastewater |
| topic | MFC electricity generation nutrient removal nutrient recovery wastewater treatment hydroponics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/9211 |
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