Electricity generation and wastewater treatment of oil refinery in microbial fuel cells using Pseudomonas putida

Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Sep 22;15(9):16772-86. doi: 10.3390/ijms150916772.

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a novel platform for treating wastewater and at the same time generating electricity. Using Pseudomonas putida (BCRC 1059), a wild-type bacterium, we demonstrated that the refinery wastewater could be treated and also generate electric current in an air-cathode chamber over four-batch cycles for 63 cumulative days. Our study indicated that the oil refinery wastewater containing 2213 mg/L (ppm) chemical oxygen demand (COD) could be used as a substrate for electricity generation in the reactor of the MFC. A maximum voltage of 355 mV was obtained with the highest power density of 0.005 mW/cm² in the third cycle with a maximum current density of 0.015 mA/cm² in regard to the external resistor of 1000 Ω. A maximum coulombic efficiency of 6 × 10⁻²% was obtained in the fourth cycle. The removal efficiency of the COD reached 30% as a function of time. Electron transfer mechanism was studied using cyclic voltammetry, which indicated the presence of a soluble electron shuttle in the reactor. Our study demonstrated that oil refinery wastewater could be used as a substrate for electricity generation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bioelectric Energy Sources* / microbiology
  • Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  • Chemical Industry / methods*
  • Electricity
  • Electrodes
  • Equipment Design
  • Petroleum Pollution / prevention & control*
  • Pseudomonas putida / physiology*
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
  • Wastewater*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Water Purification / methods*

Substances

  • Waste Water
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical