A double-edged sword: Constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells promote organics removal via entrapment

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 905; p. 167157
• Main Authors: Yan, Jun, Hu, Xuebin, Chen, Mengli, He, Qiang, Chen, Yi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 20.12.2023
• Subjects: carbon; chemical oxygen demand; Constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell; Coulombic efficiency; electricity; energy; environment; fuels; Gaseous carbon metabolites; metabolism; metabolites; Organics entrapment; Organics removal; polyhydroxybutyrate; Coulombic efficiency; Constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell; Organics entrapment; Gaseous carbon metabolites; Organics removal
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167157

Recently, constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) are found to enhance the organics removal via the connection of the external circuit. Yet, it is unclear why the energy output is unmatched with the enhancement of the organics removal. This study compared the dynamic changes of the organics in a CW-MFC microcosm operated under the close circuit and open circuit. As a result, the close circuit facilitated the organics removal by 9 % before the proportional discharge of carbon metabolites. This suggested that organics entrapment should account for the huge loss of carbon recovery; and closing the external circuit could further promote the organics entrapment. Besides, polyhydroxybutyrate was found accumulated in the MFC culture experiment, evidencing that the fed-batch mode of operation could result in a feast-famine pattern of microbial metabolism. Despite the fast organics entrapment during the first hours, prolonging the operation time would lead to continuous carbon gas emission, along with the substantially elevated coulombic efficiency. Together, these results explained the substantial COD removal enhancement with low electricity yield, and cautioned the safe use of the MFC integration to spare the system from overaccumulation of organics. [Display omitted] •Connection of the external circuit can facilitate the organics removal in CW-MFCs.•The fed-batch CW-MFCs would subject to the feast-famine pattern.•The facilitated COD removal was greater than the promoted CO2 emission.•The unequal coulombic efficiency was probably due to the organics entrapment.•MFC integration is potential to promote organics accumulation.