Wood carbon electrode in microbial fuel cell enhances chromium reduction and bioelectricity generation

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 29; no. 9; pp. 13709 - 13719
• Main Authors: Ni, Hongyuhang, Khan, Aman, Yang, Zi, Gong, Yuxin, Ali, Gohar, Liu, Pu, Chen, Fengjuan, Li, Xiangkai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.02.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biochemical fuel cells; Bioelectric Energy Sources; Bioelectricity; Carbon; Chromium; Cloth; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Electricity; Electrochemistry; Electrode materials; Electrodes; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Fuel cells; Fuel technology; Hexavalent chromium; High temperature; Maximum power density; Microorganisms; Research Article; Waste Water; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Wood; Bioreduction; Cr(VI); MFC; Wood electrode; Electricity generation
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16652-x

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a recommended treatment to remediate hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in wastewater. In this study, a wood carbon (WC) electrode was introduced in MFC to enhance the Cr(VI) removal efficiency. WC electrode in MFC completely removed Cr(VI) as compared to the carbon cloth (31.12%) and carbon felt (34.83) within 48 h of operation at 20 mg L −1 of Cr(VI) concentration. The maximum power density of WC electrode was 62.59 mW m −2 higher than 0.115 and 3.154 mW m −2 of carbon cloth and felt respectively. The specific surface area of WC increased to 158.47 m −2 g −1 after high-temperature carbonization, and electrochemical tests indicate it has higher electrocatalytic ability. Therefore, WC might be a good electrode material to effectively remove Cr(VI) and generate bioelectricity simultaneously.