Positive effects of concomitant heavy metals and their reduzates on hexavalent chromium removal in microbial fuel cells. Issue 26 (17th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Xiayuan; Li, Chunrui; Lv, Zuopeng; Zhou, Xiaowei; Chen, Zixuan; Jia, Honghua; Zhou, Jun; Yong, Xiaoyu; Wei, Ping; Li, Yan
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 10:Issue 26(2020)
• Page Start: 15107
• Page End: 15115
• Publication Date: 2020-04-17
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/d0ra01471k
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : The cooperative cathode modification by BioAu from Au(iii ) and in situ Cu(ii ) co-reduction enhanced Cr(vi ) removal and bioelectricity generation in MFCs. Abstract : Cr(vi ) laden wastewaters generally comprise a range of multiple heavy metals such as Au(iii ) and Cu(ii ) with great toxicity. In the present study, cooperative cathode modification by biogenic Au nanoparticles (BioAu) reduced from aqueous Au(iii ) and in situ Cu(ii ) co-reduction were investigated for the first time to enhance Cr(vi ) removal in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). With the co-existence of Cu(ii ) in the catholyte, the MFC with carbon cloth modified with nanocomposites of multi-walled carbon nanotubes blended with BioAu (BioAu/MWCNT) obtained the highest Cr(vi ) removal rate (4.07 ± 0.01 mg L −1 h −1 ) and power density (309.34 ± 17.65 mW m −2 ), which were 2.73 and 3.30 times as high as those for the control, respectively. The enhancements were caused by BioAu/MWCNT composites and deposited reduzates of Cu(ii ) on the cathode surface, which increased the adsorption capacity, electronic conductivity and electrocatalytic activity of the cathode. This study provides an alternative approach for efficiently remediating co-contamination of multiple heavy metals and simultaneous bioenergy recovery.