Electricity generation and struvite recovery from human urine using microbial fuel cells
Electricity generation and struvite recovery from human urine using microbial fuel cells
BACKGROUND
Urine is an abundant waste product which requires energy intensive treatment processes in modern wastewater treatment plants. However urine can be utilised as fertiliser in the form of struvite. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology for treating waste while producing electricity. Combining these two approaches, a 3-stage MFC/struvite extraction process system was developed and its feasibility tested in order to maximise urine utilisation in terms of electricity generation and struvite recovery.
RESULTS
In the first stage, while generating electrical energy, MFCs accelerated urea hydrolysis, which was beneficial for the struvite precipitation process in the following stage. After collecting struvite by adding magnesium into the initial effluent, the supernatant was used at the final stage for additional power and more efficient COD reduction. In total, 82% of PO43−-P and 20% of COD of undiluted human urine were removed by the 3-stage system. Also 14.32 W m−3 (absolute power: 358 µW) and 11.76 W m−3 (absolute power: 294 µW) of power was produced from the 1st and 3rd stages of the system, respectively, during operation.
CONCLUSION
This work shows how MFCs and struvite precipitation could be integrated for both energy generation and resource recovery from urine, leading to a more sustainable energy future.
microbial fuel cells, struvite, source-separated urine, resource recovery
647-654
You, Jiseon
1442df08-0ea4-4134-b6be-6b773b05f58d
Greenman, John
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Melhuish, Chris
c52dcc8b-1e36-425e-80df-9d05d2b21893
Ieropoulos, Ioannis
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
March 2016
You, Jiseon
1442df08-0ea4-4134-b6be-6b773b05f58d
Greenman, John
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Melhuish, Chris
c52dcc8b-1e36-425e-80df-9d05d2b21893
Ieropoulos, Ioannis
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
You, Jiseon, Greenman, John, Melhuish, Chris and Ieropoulos, Ioannis
(2016)
Electricity generation and struvite recovery from human urine using microbial fuel cells.
Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 91 (3), .
(doi:10.1002/jctb.4617).
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Urine is an abundant waste product which requires energy intensive treatment processes in modern wastewater treatment plants. However urine can be utilised as fertiliser in the form of struvite. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology for treating waste while producing electricity. Combining these two approaches, a 3-stage MFC/struvite extraction process system was developed and its feasibility tested in order to maximise urine utilisation in terms of electricity generation and struvite recovery.
RESULTS
In the first stage, while generating electrical energy, MFCs accelerated urea hydrolysis, which was beneficial for the struvite precipitation process in the following stage. After collecting struvite by adding magnesium into the initial effluent, the supernatant was used at the final stage for additional power and more efficient COD reduction. In total, 82% of PO43−-P and 20% of COD of undiluted human urine were removed by the 3-stage system. Also 14.32 W m−3 (absolute power: 358 µW) and 11.76 W m−3 (absolute power: 294 µW) of power was produced from the 1st and 3rd stages of the system, respectively, during operation.
CONCLUSION
This work shows how MFCs and struvite precipitation could be integrated for both energy generation and resource recovery from urine, leading to a more sustainable energy future.
Text
manuscript (1)
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Published date: March 2016
Keywords:
microbial fuel cells, struvite, source-separated urine, resource recovery
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 454060
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/454060
ISSN: 0268-2575
PURE UUID: f4fcf703-347a-4140-8458-d37db2db6fc3
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Date deposited: 27 Jan 2022 19:22
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:10
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Contributors
Author:
Jiseon You
Author:
John Greenman
Author:
Chris Melhuish
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