Photosynthetic membrane-less microbial fuel cells to enhance microalgal biomass concentration

The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the net increase in microalgal biomass concentration induced by photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (PMFC). The experiment was conducted on six lab-scale PMFC constituted by an anodic chamber simulating an anaerobic digester connected to a cathodic chamber consisting of a mixed algae consortia culture. Three PMFC were operated at closed circuit (PMFC+) whereas three PMFC were left unconnected as control (PMFC-). PMFC+ produced a higher amount of carbon dioxide as a product of the organic matter oxidation that resulted in 1.5–3 times higher biomass concentration at the cathode compartment when compared to PMFC-Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Effect of primary treatment and organic loading on methane emissions from horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands treating urban wastewater

Methane is emitted in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSSF CWs) during wastewater treatment. The objective of this work was to determine the influence of primary treatment and organic loading rate on methane emissions from constructed wetlands. To this aim, methane emissions from a HSSF CW pilot plant were measured using the closed chamber method. The effect of primary treatment was addressed by comparing emissions from wetlands receiving the effluent of an anaerobic (HUSB reactor) or a conventional settler as primary treatments. Alternatively, the effect of organic loading was addressed by comparing emissions from wetlands operated under high organic loading (52 g COD m (2) day (1)) and low organic loading (17 g COD m (2) day (1)). Results showed that methane emission rates were affected by the type of primary treatment and, to a lesser extent, by the organic loading applied. Accordingly, lower redox conditions and slightly higher organic loading of a wetland receiving the effluent of a HUSB reactor resulted in methane emissions twelve times higher than those of the wetland fed with primary settled wastewater. Moreover, systems subjected to three times higher organic loading than that recommended lead to higher methane emission rates, although high data variability resulted in no statistically significant differences.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Life cycle assessment of constructed wetland systems for wastewater treatment coupled with microbial fuel cells

The aim of this study was to assess the environmental impact of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) implemented in constructed wetlands (CWs). To this aim a life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out comparing three scenarios: 1) a conventional CW system (without MFC implementation); 2) a CW system coupled with a gravel-based anode MFC, and 3) a CW system coupled with a graphite-based anode MFC. All systems served a population equivalent of 1500 p.e. They were designed to meet the same effluent quality. Since MFCs implemented in CWs improve treatment efficiency, the CWs coupled with MFCs had lower specific area requirement compared to the conventional CW system. The functional unit was 1 m3 of wastewater. The LCA was performed with the software SimaPro® 8, using the CML-IA baseline method. The three scenarios considered showed similar environmental performance in all the categories considered, with the exception of Abiotic Depletion Potential. In this impact category, the potential environmental impact of the CW system coupled with a gravel-based anode MFC was around 2 times higher than that generated by the conventional CW system and the CW system coupled with a graphite-based anode MFC. It was attributed to the large amount of less environmentally friendly materials (e.g. metals, graphite) for MFCs implementation, especially in the case of gravel-based anode MFCs. Therefore, the CW system coupled with graphite-based anode MFC appeared as the most environmentally friendly solution which can replace conventional CWs reducing system footprint by up to 20%. An economic assessment showed that this system was around 1.5 times more expensive than the conventional CW system.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Improving domestic wastewater treatment efficiency with constructed wetland microbial fuel cells: influence of anode material and external resistance

For the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in the operation of constructed wetlands as microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) for both the improvement of wastewater treatment efficiency and the production of energy. However, there is still scarce information on design and operation aspects to maximize CW-MFCs efficiency, especially for the treatment of real domestic wastewater. The aim of this study was to quantify the extent of treatment efficiency improvement carried out by membrane-less MFCs simulating a core of a shallow un-planted horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland. The influence of the external resistance (50, 220, 402, 604 and 1000 O) and the anode material (graphite and gravel) on treatment efficiency improvement were addressed. To this purpose, 6 lab-scale membrane-less MFCs were set-up and loaded in batch mode with domestic wastewater for 13 weeks. Results showed that 220 O was the best operation condition for maximising MFCs treatment efficiency, regardless the anode material employed. Gravel-based anode MFCs operated at closed circuit showed ca. 18%, 15%, 31% and 25% lower effluent concentration than unconnected MFCs to the COD, TOC, PO4-3 and NH4+-N, respectively. Main conclusion of the present work is that constructed wetlands operated as MFCs is a promising strategy to improve domestic wastewater treatment efficiency. However, further studies at pilot scale under more realistic conditions (such as planted systems operated under continuous mode) shall be performed to confirm the findings here reported.This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) (project CTM2010-17750). Clara Corbella kindly acknowledges her PhD scholarship (2014 FI_AGAUR, Generalitat de Catalunya). Authors are also grateful to Laura Martinez, Justine Boudou and Noemie Devesa for their contribution to the experimental work of this study.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Electrochemical characterization of Geobacter lovleyi identifies limitations of microbial fuel cell performance in constructed wetlands

Power generation in microbial fuel cells implemented in constructed wetlands (CW-MFCs) is low despite the enrichment of anode electricigens most closely related to Geobacter lovleyi. Using the model representative G. lovleyi strain SZ, we show that acetate, but not formate or lactate, can be oxidized efficiently but growth is limited by the high sensitivity of the bacterium to oxygen. Acetate and highly reducing conditions also supported the growth of anode biofilms but only at optimal anode potentials (450 mV vs. standard hydrogen electrode). Still, electrode coverage was poor and current densities, low, consistent with the lack of key c-type cytochromes. The results suggest that the low oxygen tolerance of G. lovleyi and inability to efficiently colonize and form electroactive biofilms on the electrodes while oxidizing the range of electron donors available in constructed wetlands limits MFC performance. The implications of these findings for the optimization of CW-MFCs are discussed. [Int Microbiol 20(2):55-64 (2017)]Keywords: microbial fuel cells; bioelectrochemical systems; constructed wetlands; extracellular electron transfer; electricigen

Microbial fuel cells implemented in constructed wetlands: fundamentals, current research and future perspectives

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a device that generates electricity from the microbial degradation of organic and inorganic substrates. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are natural wastewater treatment systems that constitute a suitable technology for the sanitation of small communities. The synergy between MFCs and CWs is possible because of the presence of organic matter in CWs due to wastewater characteristics and the naturally generated redox gradient between the upper layer of CWs treatment bed (in aerobic conditions) and the deeper layers (completely anaerobic). As a result of MFC implementation in CWs (MFC-CW), it is possible not only to produce an energy surplus while wastewater is treated but also to improve and monitor the overall treatment process. Moreover, the implementation of MFCs may exert other beneficial effects on CWs, such as a decrease of surface treatment requirements, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions or clogging. Finally, MFCs implemented in CWs would be also a suitable bioelectrochemical tool for the assessment of treatment performance without any additional cost involved in the process. Overall, though considered to be at an infancy stage, MFC-CW represents a promising synergy between technologies that may reduce energy costs and enhance treatment performance and monitoring while wastewater is treated. The envisaged main challenges for maximizing the synergy between both technologies are linked to the optimization of both operational and design criteria in CW and MFC cell architecture and materials.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Exploring the biocapacitance in M3C-based biosensors for the assessment of microbial activity and organic matter

Reliable monitoring of microbial and water quality parameters in freshwater ecosystems (either natural or human-made) is of capital importance for improving both the management of water resources and the assessment of microbially-driven bio-geo-chemical processes. In this context, bioelectrochemical systems (BES), such as microbial three-cell electrodes (M3C), are very promising devices for their use as biosensors. However, current experiences on the use of BES-based devices for biosensing purposes are almost exclusively limited to water-saturated environments. This limitation hampers the use of this technology for a wider range of applications where the biosensor may work discontinuously (such as discontinuously saturated ecosystems). Discontinuous operation of M3C-based biosensors creates an electric current peak immediately after the reconnection of the system due to electron accumulation, in a process known as biocapacitance. The present work aimed at quantifying the bioindication potential of biocapacitance for the assessment of key ecosystem parameters such as microbial metabolic activity and biomass, as well as organic matter concentration. Significant linear regression coefficients (R2¿>¿0.9) were found for all combinations of parameters tested. Moreover, for most of the ecological parameters assessed, an electric charge accumulation of 1–5¿min (biocapacitance elapsed time) and discharge of 5¿min was enough to get reliable information. In conclusion, we have demonstrated for the first time that biocapacitance in M3C-based biosensors can be used as a proxy parameter for the assessment of microbial activity, microbial biomass and organic matter concentration in a model nature-based ecosystem.Marta Fernandez-Gatell kindly acknowledges her PhD scholarship (2020 FI AGAUR, Department of Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia). The authors are grateful to the Government of Catalonia (Consolidated Research Groups SGR 2021-01164 and SGR 2021-00609).Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Electrochemical characterization of Geobacter lovleyi identifies limitations of microbial fuel cell performance in constructed wetlands

Microbial Fuel Cells implemented in Constructed Wetlands (CW-MFCs) show limited performance. Geobacter Lovleyi has been demonstrated to be one of the predominant bacterial species in active CW-MFCs. The aim of this study was to characterize the growth of G.Lovleyi so as to identify if it could be a source for the observed CW-MFCs low performances. To this aim, G. Lovelyi was grown under three different electron donors (acetate, lactate and formate) and two electron acceptors (fumarate and Fe(III) citrate). G. Lovleyi growing and electron transfer characteristics was also studied by inoculating it in double chambered MECs (anodes poised at 31, 450 and 771 mV). Results showed that its growth was supported by acetate, with doubling times of 4.4±0.1 and 8±0.1 hours for fumarate and Fe(III) citrate as electron acceptors, respectively. G. Lovleyi was also demonstrated to be highly intolerant to oxygen, requiring cysteine as a reducing agent. In contrast, formate and lactate did not support cell growth even in the presence of cysteine. Maximum currents achieved were that of 0.08 mA and 0.26 mA for the MECs operated at 450 mV and 771 mV, respectively. However, no current was observed at 31mV. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis showed poor electrode coverage, indicating that G. Lovleyi did not attach to the electrode effectively. According to these results, low performances of CW-MFCs could by at least partially explained by the inability of G. lovleyi to oxidize the wide range of metabolites present in CW, to tolerate even trace oxygen concentrations or to efficiently attach to electrodes surface.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Long-term assessment of best cathode position to maximise microbial fuel cell performance in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands

The cathode of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) implemented in constructed wetlands (CWs) is generally set in close contact with water surface to provide a rich oxygen environment. However, water level variations caused by plants evapotranspiration in CWs might decrease MFC performance by limiting oxygen transfer to the cathode. Main objective of this work was to quantify the effect of water level variation on MFC performance implemented in HSSF CW. For the purpose of this work two MFCs were implemented within a HSSF CW pilot plant fed with primary treated domestic wastewater. Cell voltage (E-cell) and the relative distance between the cathode and the water level were recorded for one year. Results showed that E-cell was greatly influenced by the relative distance between the cathode and the water level, giving an optimal cathode position of about 1 to 2 cm above water level. Both water level variation and E-cell were daily and seasonal dependent, showing a pronounced day/night variation during warm periods and showing almost no daily variation during cold periods. Energy production under pronounced daily water level variation was 40% lower (80 +/- 56 mWh/m(2) . day) than under low water level variation (131 +/- 61 mWh/m(2) . day). Main conclusion of the present work is that of the performance of MFC implemented in HSSF CW is highly dependent on plants evapotranspiration. Therefore, MFC that are to be implemented in CWs shall be designed to be able to cope with pronounced water level variations.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Contaminants removal and bacterial activity enhancement along the flow path of constructed wetland microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells implemented in constructed wetlands (CW-MFCs), albeit a relatively new technology still under study, have shown to improve treatment efficiency of urban wastewater. So far the vast majority of CW-MFC systems investigated were designed as lab-scale systems working under rather unrealistic hydraulic conditions using synthetic wastewater. The main objective of this work was to quantify CW-MFCs performance operated under different conditions in a more realistic setup using meso-scale systems with horizontal flow fed with real urban wastewater. Operational conditions tested were organic loading rate (4.9 ± 1.6, 6.7 ± 1.4 and 13.6 ± 3.2 g COD/m2·day) and hydraulic regime (continuous vs. intermittent feeding) as well as different electrical connections: CW control (conventional CW without electrodes), open-circuit CW-MFC (external circuit between anode and cathode not connected) and closed-circuit CW-MFC (external circuit connected). Eight horizontal subsurface flow CWs were operated for about four months. Each wetland consisted of a PVC reservoir of 0.193 m2 filled with 4/8 mm granitic riverine gravel (wetted depth 25 cm). All wetlands had intermediate sampling points for gravel and interstitial liquid sampling. The CW-MFCs were designed as three MFCs incorporated one after the other along the flow path of the CWs. Anodes consisted of gravel with an incorporated current collector (stainless steel mesh) and the cathode consisted of a graphite felt layer. Electrodes of closed-circuit CW-MFC systems were connected externally over a 220 O resistance. Results showed no significant differences between tested organic loading rates, hydraulic regimes or electrical connections, however, on average, systems operated in closed-circuit CW-MFC mode under continuous flow outperformed the other experimental conditions. Closed-circuit CW-MFC compared to conventional CW control systems showed around 5% and 22% higher COD and ammonium removal, respectively. Correspondingly, overall bacteria activity, as measured by the fluorescein diacetate technique, was higher (4% to 34%) in closed-circuit systems when compared to CW control systems.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft