Upflow bio-filter circuit (UBFC): biocatalyst microbial fuel cell (MFC) configuration and application to biodiesel wastewater treatment

Bioresour Technol. 2011 Nov;102(22):10363-70. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.09.007. Epub 2011 Sep 10.

Abstract

A biodiesel wastewater treatment technology was investigated for neutral alkalinity and COD removal by microbial fuel cell. An upflow bio-filter circuit (UBFC), a kind of biocatalyst MFC was renovated and reinvented. The developed system was combined with a pre-fermented (PF) and an influent adjusted (IA) procedure. The optimal conditions were operated with an organic loading rate (OLR) of 30.0 g COD/L-day, hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1.04 day, maintained at pH level 6.5-7.5 and aerated at 2.0 L/min. An external resistance of circuit was set at 10 kΩ. The purposed process could improve the quality of the raw wastewater and obtained high efficiency of COD removal of 15.0 g COD/L-day. Moreover, the cost of UBFC system was only US$1775.7/m3 and the total power consumption was 0.152 kW/kg treated COD. The overall advantages of this invention are suitable for biodiesel wastewater treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerobiosis
  • Biocatalysis*
  • Bioelectric Energy Sources* / economics
  • Biofuels / analysis*
  • Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis
  • Electricity
  • Electrodes
  • Fermentation
  • Filtration / economics
  • Filtration / instrumentation*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Time Factors
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid*
  • Water Purification / economics
  • Water Purification / instrumentation*
  • Water Purification / methods*

Substances

  • Biofuels
  • Oxygen