Enhancing the bioremediation by harvesting electricity from the heavily contaminated sediments. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Yonggang; Lu, Zijiang; Lin, Xunke; Xia, Chunyu; Sun, Guoping; Lian, Yingli; Xu, Meiying
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 179(2015)
• Page Start: 615
• Page End: 618
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Bioremediation -- Sediments -- Microbial fuel cells -- Power management system; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.12.034
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: A 100 L SMFC was operated in heavily contaminated sediment for over 2 years. The sediments could provide sufficient electron donors for long-term SMFC operation. SMFC–PMS system is a durable and efficient tool in bioremediation and power-supply. Abstract: To test the long-term applicability of scaled-up sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) in simultaneous bioremediation of toxic-contaminated sediments and power-supply for electronic devices, a 100 L SMFC inoculate with heavily contaminated sediments has been assembled and operated for over 2 years without external electron donor addition. The total organic chemical (TOC) degradation efficiency was 22.1% in the electricity generating SMFCs, which is significantly higher than that in the open-circuited SMFC (3.8%). The organic matters including contaminants in the contaminated sediments were sufficient for the electricity generation of SMFCs, even up to 8.5 years by the present SMFC theoretically. By using a power management system (PMS), the SMFC electricity could be harvested into batteries and used by commercial electronic devices. The results indicated that the SMFC–PMS system could be applied as a long-term and effective tool to simultaneously stimulate the bioremediation of the contaminated sediments and supply power for commercial devices.