Differences in Contaminants Removal Efficiency and Electricity Production in Disposing Leachate with Chemical-Cathode and Aerobic Bio-Cathode MFC

Abstract

The effect of cathode type on contaminant removal efficiency and electricity production in disposing leachate was investigated in a self-assembled microbial fuel cell (MFC). When the landfill leachate was treated with the chemical-cathode MFC (CMFC) and aerobic bio-cathode MFC (ABMFC), the maximum output voltages were 699.0 mV and 459.4 mV, the maximum output powers were 197.7 mW m−3 and 147.6 mW m−3, and the internal resistances were 900 Ω and 700 Ω, respectively. After running the MFCs for 45 days, the COD removal ratios of CMFC and ABMFC were 56.5 % and 64.3 %, the Coulombic efficiencies were 14.3 % and 17.1 %, and the ammonia nitrogen removal ratios were 53.8 % and 58.1 %, respectively.

Keywords

• microbial fuel cell
• aged landfill leachate
• chemical-cathode
• aerobic bio-cathode
• disposal of pollutants
• electricity production