Cathodic Reduction of Cu²⁺ and Electric Power Generation Using a Microbial Fuel Cell

When $Cu^{2+}$ was used as an electron acceptor, removal of $Cu^{2+}$ was achieved from the synthesized wastewater (SW) in the cathode compartment of a microbial fuel cell (MFC). By addition of $KNO_3$, the different initial pH of the SW showed no effect on the removal efficiency of $Cu^{2+}$. For $Cu^{2+}$ concentration of 50 mg/L the removal efficiencies were found to be 99.82%, 99.95%, 99.58%, and 99.97% for the $KNO_3$ concentrations of 0, 50, 100 and 200 mM, and to be 99.4%, 99.9%, 99.7%, and 99.7% for pH values of 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. More than 99% $Cu^{2+}$ was removed for the $Cu^{2+}$ concentrations of 10, 50, and 100 mg/L, while only 60.1% of $Cu^{2+}$ was removed for the initial concentration of 200 mg/L (pH 3). The maximum power density was affected by both $KNO_3$ concentration and initial concentration of $Cu^{2+}$. It was increased by a factor of 1.5 (from 96.2 to 143.6 mW/$m^2$) when the $KNO_3$ concentration was increased from 0 to 200 mM (50 mg/L $Cu^{2+}$), and by a factor of 2.7 (from 118 to 319 mW/$m^2$) when $Cu^{2+}$ concentration was increased from 10 to 200 mg/L (pH 3).