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Power generation and contaminant removal in single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) treating human urine

Power generation and contaminant removal in single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) treating human urine
Power generation and contaminant removal in single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) treating human urine
The potential of single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFC) to treat raw, fresh human urine was investigated. The power generation (55 μW) of the SCMFCs with platinum (Pt)-based cathode was higher than those with Pt-free cathodes (23 μW) at the beginning of the tests, but this difference decreased over time. Up to 75% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) in urine was reduced after a 4-day treatment. During this time, the ammonium concentration increased significantly to 5 gNH4+-N/L in SCMFCs due to urea hydrolysis, while sulfate concentration decreased and transformed into H2S due to sulfate reduction reactions. Calcium and magnesium concentrations dropped due to precipitation at high pH, and phosphorous decreased 20–50% due to the formation of struvite that was found on the cathode surface and on the bottom of the anodic chamber. The advantages of power generation, COD removal, and nutrient recovery make SCMFCs treating human urine a cost-effective biotechnology.
Human urine, Microbial fuel cell (MFCs), Chemical oxygen demand (COD), Ammonium ions, Struvite, Precipitation
0360-3199
11543-11551
Santoro, C.
03549f6d-d57f-4d79-8bae-2d9271aa7371
Ieropoulos, I.
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
Greenman, J.
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Cristiani, P.
3cb7a0bc-6dd3-4514-ad96-60dc3578ce80
Vadas, T.
7971c25c-95e2-43b8-a8d0-76afc8cab2a2
Mackay, A.
e229350e-a202-4d36-8903-a36a4b7ffa0a
Li, B.
a8225836-5ea0-4274-8d4f-57a50a26ed59
Santoro, C.
03549f6d-d57f-4d79-8bae-2d9271aa7371
Ieropoulos, I.
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
Greenman, J.
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Cristiani, P.
3cb7a0bc-6dd3-4514-ad96-60dc3578ce80
Vadas, T.
7971c25c-95e2-43b8-a8d0-76afc8cab2a2
Mackay, A.
e229350e-a202-4d36-8903-a36a4b7ffa0a
Li, B.
a8225836-5ea0-4274-8d4f-57a50a26ed59

Santoro, C., Ieropoulos, I., Greenman, J., Cristiani, P., Vadas, T., Mackay, A. and Li, B. (2013) Power generation and contaminant removal in single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) treating human urine. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 38 (26), 11543-11551. (doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.02.070).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The potential of single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFC) to treat raw, fresh human urine was investigated. The power generation (55 μW) of the SCMFCs with platinum (Pt)-based cathode was higher than those with Pt-free cathodes (23 μW) at the beginning of the tests, but this difference decreased over time. Up to 75% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) in urine was reduced after a 4-day treatment. During this time, the ammonium concentration increased significantly to 5 gNH4+-N/L in SCMFCs due to urea hydrolysis, while sulfate concentration decreased and transformed into H2S due to sulfate reduction reactions. Calcium and magnesium concentrations dropped due to precipitation at high pH, and phosphorous decreased 20–50% due to the formation of struvite that was found on the cathode surface and on the bottom of the anodic chamber. The advantages of power generation, COD removal, and nutrient recovery make SCMFCs treating human urine a cost-effective biotechnology.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 13 February 2013
e-pub ahead of print date: 14 March 2013
Published date: 30 August 2013
Keywords: Human urine, Microbial fuel cell (MFCs), Chemical oxygen demand (COD), Ammonium ions, Struvite, Precipitation

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 454670
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/454670
ISSN: 0360-3199
PURE UUID: d06d7b3e-f3c8-49b5-a31e-6047965e88cd
ORCID for I. Ieropoulos: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9641-5504

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Date deposited: 18 Feb 2022 17:43
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:10

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Contributors

Author: C. Santoro
Author: I. Ieropoulos ORCID iD
Author: J. Greenman
Author: P. Cristiani
Author: T. Vadas
Author: A. Mackay
Author: B. Li

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