Effects of Fe, Ni, and Fe/Ni metallic nanoparticles on power production and biosurfactant production from used vegetable oil in the anode chamber of a microbial fuel cell. (August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Jia; Vipulanandan, Cumaraswamy
• Is Part Of: Waste management. Volume 66(2017)
• Page Start: 169
• Page End: 177
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Subjects: Metallic nanoparticle -- Microbial fuel cell -- Used vegetable oil -- Biosurfactant; Hazardous wastes -- Periodicals; Refuse and refuse disposal -- Periodicals; 363.728
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2017.04.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-053X

Abstract

Highlights: Rod-shaped metallic nanoparticles were used as cathode catalysts. Biosurfactant was produced from used vegetable oil in the anode chamber. Biosurfactant production in anode chamber was manipulated by cathode catalysts. Fe nanoparticles had the greatest catalytic effects on the performance of the MFC. Impedance distribution of the MFC using different cathodes was quantified. Abstract: In this study, metallic nanoparticles (Fe, Ni, and Fe/Ni) were used as cathode catalysts to enhance power production and to improve the anode performance of a two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC). The metallic nanoparticles were rod-shaped and produced by the precipitation/co-precipitation method. A biosurfactant was produced in the anode chamber of the MFC from used vegetable oil by the bacteria Serratia sp. Overall cell voltage, power density, bacterial growth, and biosurfactant production were studied by applying different types of metallic nanoparticles to the cathode electrode. The influence of various types of nanoparticles on the impedance of the MFC was also investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), including analyses of anode impedance, cathode impedance, anode solution resistance, cathode solution resistance, and membrane resistance. The nanoparticles improved MFC performance in the following order: Fe > Ni > Fe/Ni. The addition of 1.5 mg/cm 2 Fe nanoparticles to the cathode surface enhanced power production by over 500% to 66.4 mW/m 3, promoted bacterial growth and biosurfactant production in the anode solution by 132.5% and 32.0%, respectively, and reduced anode impedance, cathode impedance, and membrane resistance by 26.8%, 81.6%, and 33.8% to 159.00 Ω, 7.69 Ω, and 261.09 Ω, respectively. For the first time, biosurfacant production in the anode chamber of the MFC was promoted by using the metallic nanoparticles as cathode catalysts. By improving the cathode properties, this study showed a new way to manipulated the performance of the anode chamber of the MFC.