• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.556-562
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• 2015

In order to remove the organic substances and the nitrate-nitrogen contained in wastewater, some researchers have studied the simultaneous removal of organics and nitrogen by using different biocathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The operating conditions for removing the contaminants in the MFCs are the external resistances, HRTs, the concentration of the influent wastewater, and other factors. This study aimed to determine the effect of the external resistors and organic loading rates, from the changing HRT, on the removal of the organics and nitrogen and on the production of electric power using the Denitrification Biocathode - Microbial Fuel Cell (DNB-MFC). As regards the results of the study, the removal efficiencies of $SCOD_{Cr}$ did not show any difference, but the nitrate-nitrogen removal efficiencies were increased by decreasing the external resistance. The maximum denitrification rate achieved was $129.2{\pm}13.54g\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3/d$ in the external resistance $1{\Omega}$, and the maximum power density was $3,279mW/m^3$ in $10{\Omega}$. When the DNB-MFC was operated with increasing influent organic and nitrate loading by reducing the HRTs, the $NO_3{^-}-N$ removal efficiencies were increased linearly, and the maximum nitrate removal rate was $1,586g\;NO^3{^-}-N/m^3/d$ at HRT 0.6 h.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.443-448
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• 2019

The present study was conducted to compare the voltage generation in two-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with a biocathode where nitrate and oxygen are used as a terminal electron acceptors (TEA) and to investigate the nitrogen removal and the electrochemical characteristics depending on the separators of the MFCs for denitrification. The maximum power density in a biocathode MFC using an anion exchange membrane (AEM) was approximately 40% lower with the use of nitrate as a TEA than when using oxygen. The MFC for denitrification using an AEM allows acetate ($CH_3COO^-$) as a substrate and nitrate ($NO_3{^-}$) as a TEA to be transported to the opposite sides of the chamber through the AEM. Therefore, heterotrophic denitrification and electrochemical denitrification occurred simultaneously at the anode and the cathode, resulting in a higher COD and nitrate removal rate and a lower maximum power density. The MFC for the denitrification using a cation exchange membrane (CEM) does not allow the transport of acetate and nitrate. Therefore, as oxidation of organics and electrochemical denitrification occurred at the anode and at the cathode, respectively, the MFC using a CEM showed a higher coulomb efficiency, a lower COD and nitrate removal rate in comparison with the MFC using an AEM.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1765-1773
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• 2013

The cathode reaction is one of the most seriously limiting factors in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The critical dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of a platinum-loaded graphite electrode was reported as 2.2 mg/l, about 10-fold higher than an aerobic bacterium. A series of MFCs were run with the cathode compartment inoculated with activated sludge (biotic) or not (abiotic) on platinum-loaded or bare graphite electrodes. At the beginning of the operation, the current values from MFCs with a biocathode and abiotic cathode were $2.3{\pm}0.1$ and $2.6{\pm}0.2mA$, respectively, at the air-saturated water supply in the cathode. The current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode did not change, but that of MFCs with a biotic cathode increased to 3.0 mA after 8 weeks. The coulomb efficiency was 59.6% in the MFCs with a biotic cathode, much higher than the value of 15.6% of the abiotic cathode. When the DO supply was reduced, the current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode decreased more sharply than in those with a biotic cathode. When the respiratory inhibitor azide was added to the catholyte, the current decreased in MFCs with a biotic cathode but did not change in MFCs with an abiotic cathode. The power density was higher in MFCs with a biotic cathode ($430W/m^3$ cathode compartment) than the abiotic cathode MFC ($257W/m^3$ cathode compartment). Electron microscopic observation revealed nanowire structures in biofilms that developed on both the anode and on the biocathode. These results show that an electron-consuming bacterial consortium can be used as a cathode catalyst to improve the cathode reaction.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2017

Enzymatic fuel cells are promising low cost, compact and flexible energy resources. The basis of enzymatic fuel cells is transfer of electron from enzyme to the electrode surface and vice versa. Electron transfer is done either by direct or mediated electron transfer (DET/MET), each one having its own advantages and disadvantages. In this study, the DET and MET of laccase-based biocathodes are compared with each other. The DET of laccase enzyme has been studied using two methods; assemble of needle-like carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the electrode, and CNTs/Nafion polymer. MET of laccase enzyme also is done by use of ceramic electrode containing, ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis [3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid]) /sol-gel. Cyclic voltammetric results of DET showed a pair of well-defined redox peaks at $200{\mu}A$ and $170{\mu}A$ in a solution containing 5and $10{\mu}M$ o-dianisidine as a substrate for needle-like assembled CNTs and CNTs-Nafion composite respectively. In MET method using sol-gel/ABTS, the maximum redox peak was $14{\mu}A$ in the presence of 15 M solution o-dianisidine as substrate. The cyclic voltammetric results showed that laccase immobilization on needle-like assembled CNTs or CNTs-Nafion is more efficient than the sol-gel/ABTS electrode. Therefore, the expressed methods can be used to fabricate biocathode of biofuel cells or laccase based biosensors.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1140-1146
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• 2013

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have been suggested as a new technology for wastewater treatment while accomplishing energy and chemical generation. This study describes the performance of BESs based on mixed culture that are capable of reducing carbon dioxide to acetate. The cathode potential was a critical factor that affected the performance of the BESs. The rate of acetate production increased as the electrode potential became more negative, from 0.38 mM $d^{-1}$ (-900 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) to 2.35 mM $d^{-1}$ (-1,100 mV), while the electron recovery efficiency of carbon dioxide reduction to acetate increased from 53.6% to 89.5%. The microbial population was dominated by relatives of Acetobacterium woodii when a methanogenic inhibitor was added to the BESs initially.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.410-420
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• 2012

The heavy reliance on fossil fuels, especially oil and gas has triggered the global energy crisis. Continued use of petroleum fuels is now widely recognized as unsustainable because of their depleting supplies and degradation to the environment. To become less dependent on fossil fuels, current world is shifting paradigm in energy by developing alternative energy sources mainly through the utilization of renewable energy sources. In particular, bioenergy recovery from wastes with the help of microorganism is viewed as one of the promising ways to mitigate the current global warming crisis as well as to supply global energy. It has been proved that microorganism can generate power by converting organic matter into electricity using microbial fuel cells (MFCs). MFC is a bioelectrochemical device that employs microbes to generate electricity from bio-convertible substrate such as wastewaters including municipal solid waste, industrial, agriculture wastes, and sewage. Sustainability, carbon neutral and generation of renewable energy are some of the major features of MFCs. However, the MFC technology is confronted with a number of issues and challenges such as low power production, high electrode material cost and so on. This paper reviews the recent developments in MFC technology with due consideration of electrode materials used in MFCs. In addition, application of biocathodes in MFCs has been discussed.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.99-103
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• 2013

An emzymatic bioanode for a glucose/oxygen biofuel cell was prepared by the sequential coating of carbon nanotube (CNT), charge transfer complex (CTC) based on tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), glucose oxidase (GOx), and polyion complex (mixture of poly-L-lysine hydrobromide and poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)) on a glassy carbon electrode. A biocathode was also prepared by the sequential coating of CNT, bilirubin oxidase (BOD), 2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), and polyion complex. The effect of CNT and CTC on the electrochemical performance was investigated. The biofuel cell exhibited a promising performance with maximum power densities of 3.6, 10.1, and $46.5{\mu}W/cm^2$ at 5, 20, and 200 mM of glucose concentration, respectively. The result indicates that the biofuel cell architecture prepared in this study can be used in the development of biofuel cells and biosensors.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1360-1366
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• 2018

The fungi associated with termites secrete enzymes such as laccase (multi-copper oxidase) that can degrade extracellular wood matrix. Laccase uses molecular oxygen as an electron acceptor to catalyze the degradation of organic compounds. Owing to its ability to transfer electrons from the cathodic electrode to molecular oxygen, laccase has the potential to be a biocatalyst on the surface of the cathodic electrode of a microbial fuel cell (MFC). In this study, a two-chamber MFC using the laccase-producing fungus Galactomyces reessii was investigated. The fungus cultured on coconut coir was placed in the cathode chamber, while an anaerobic microbial community was maintained in the anode chamber fed by industrial rubber wastewater and supplemented by sulfate and a pH buffer. The laccase-based biocathode MFC (lbMFC) produced the maximum open circuit voltage of 250 mV, output voltage of 145 mV (with a $1,000{\Omega}$ resistor), power density of $59mW/m^2$, and current density of $278mA/m^2$, and a 70% increase in half-cell potential. This study demonstrated the capability of laccase-producing yeast Galactomyces reessii as a biocatalyst on the cathode of the two-chamber lbMFC.