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. 2019 Jan 14:9:3348.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03348. eCollection 2018.

Bioremediation and Electricity Generation by Using Open and Closed Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells

Syed Zaghum Abbas  1 , Mohd Rafatullah  1 , Moonis Ali Khan  2 , Masoom Raza Siddiqui  2
Affiliations

Bioremediation and Electricity Generation by Using Open and Closed Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells

Syed Zaghum Abbas et al. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

The industrial contamination of marine sediments with mercury, silver, and zinc in Penang, Malaysia was studied with bio-remediation coupled with power generation using membrane less open (aerated) and closed (non-aerated) sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs). The prototype for this SMFC is very similar to a natural aquatic environment because it is not stimulated externally and an oxygen sparger is inserted in the cathode chamber to create the aerobic environment in the open SMFC and no oxygen supplied in the closed SMFC. The open and closed SMFCs were showed the maximum voltage generation 300.5 mV (77.75 mW/m2) and 202.7 mV (45.04 (mW/m2), respectively. The cyclic voltammetry showed the oxidation peak in open SMFCs at +1.9 μA and reduction peak at -0.3 μA but in closed SMFCs oxidation and reduction peaks were noted at +1.5 μA and -1.0 μA, respectively. The overall impedance (anode, cathode and solution) of closed SMFCs was higher than open SMFCs. The charge transfer impedance showed that the rates of substrate oxidation and reduction were very low in the closed SMFCs than open SMFCs. The Nyquist arc indicated that O2 act as electron acceptor in the open SMFCs and CO2 in the closed SMFCs. The highest remediation efficiency of toxic metals [Hg (II) ions, Zn (II) ions, and Ag (I) ions] in the open SMFCs were 95.03%, 86.69%, and 83.65% in closed SMFCs were 69.53%, 66.57%, and 65.33%, respectively, observed during 60-80 days. The scanning electron microscope and 16S rRNA analysis showed diverse exoelectrogenic community in the open SMFCs and closed SMFCs. The results demonstrated that open SMFCs could be employed for the power generation and bioremediation of pollutants.

Keywords: bioremediation; exoelectrogens; power density; resistance; sediment microbial fuel cells.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The lab-scale open and closed SMFCs designed models; schematic representation of operational SMFCs (a) and interaction of the toxic metals (Hg2+, Zn2+, and Ag2+) with electrodes attached biofilm and their remediation mechanisms synchronized with data wireless acquisition system (b).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The average voltage generation comparison of open and closed SMFCs.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Polarization curves of open and closed SMFCs.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Cyclic voltammetry of open and closed SMFCs. The scan rate was 5 Vs-1. The dotted lines represent the oxidation and reduction peaks.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Nyquist curves for cathode, anode and whole SMFCs: (A) closed SMFCs and (B) open SMFCs. The inset represents the anode response. The behavior of anode, cathode, and solution impedances during embellishment of exoelectrogenic microbes in both SMFC over time: (C) closed SMFCs and (D) open SMFCs.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Nyquist plots for open and closed SMFCs anodes (A) and cathodes (B). The overall frequency range from 10 kHz to 10 MHz shown in the inset graphs.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy analysis of Hg (II) ions (A) Zn (II) ions (B), and Ag (I) ions (C).
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
The digital images captured by scanning electron microscope of open and closed SMFCs: (A,D) anode, (B,E) cathode, and (C,F) control.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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