Nutrient removal and recovery from wastewater by microbial fuel cell-based systems – A review

Abstract

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a green innovative technology that can be employed for nutrient removal/recovery as well as for energy production from wastewater. This paper summarizes the recent advances in the use of MFCs for nutrient removal/recovery. Different configurations of MFCs used for nutrient removal are first described. Different types of nutrient removal/recovery mechanisms such as precipitation, biological uptake by microalgae, nitrification, denitrification and ammonia stripping occurring in MFCs are discussed. Recovery of nutrients as struvite or cattiite by precipitation, as microalgal biomass and as ammonium salts are common. This review shows that while higher nutrient removal/recovery is possible with MFCs and their modifications compared to other techniques as indicated by many laboratory studies, field-scale studies and optimization of operational parameters are needed to develop efficient MFCs for nutrient removal and recovery and electricity generation from different types of wastewaters. HIGHLIGHTS Several different configurations of MFCs are available for nutrient removal/recovery.; In MFCs nutrients are removed by a number of different mechanisms.; Nutrient can be recovered from a variety of wastewaters with MFCs.; Optimization of operating parameters and more field scale studies are required.;

Keywords

• biological assimilation
• electricity generation
• microbial fuel cell
• nutrient removal/recovery
• struvite