The overshoot phenomenon as a function of internal resistance in microbial fuel cells

A method for assessing the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is the polarisation sweep where different external resistances are applied at set intervals (sample rates). The resulting power curves often exhibit an overshoot where both power and current decrease concomitantly. To investigate these phenomena, small-scale (1 mL volume) MFCs operated in continuous flow were subjected to polarisation sweeps under various conditions. At shorter sample rates the overshoot was more exaggerated and power generation was overestimated; sampling at 30 s produced 23% higher maximum power than at 3 min. MFCs with an immature anodic biofilm (5 days) exhibited a double overshoot effect, which disappeared after a sufficient adjustment period (5 weeks). Mature MFCs were subject to overshoot when the anode was fed weak (1 mM acetate) feedstock with low conductivity (<100 μS) but not when fed with a higher concentration (20 mM acetate) feedstock with high conductivity (>1500 μS). MFCs developed in a pH neutral environment produced overshoot after the anode had been exposed to acidic (pH 3) conditions for 24 h. In contrast, changes to the cathode both in terms of pH and varying catholyte conductivity, although affecting power output did not result in overshoot suggesting that this is an anodic phenomenon.     

微生物燃料电池处理餐饮废水及同步发电性能研究

针对食堂餐饮废水,建立微生物燃料电池实验系统,研究微生物燃料电池废水处理与同步发电性能。首先使用Fe(NO3)3溶液作为阴极电解液进行实验,证明餐饮废水生物降解及产电的可行性;分别采用NaCl溶液和K3[Fe(CN)6]溶液作为阴极电解液进行对比实验,研究不同运行环境下微生物燃料电池的发电性能和污水净化效果。结果表明,采用NaCl溶液和K3[Fe(CN)6]溶液作为阴极电解液时的COD去除率分别是30%和22%左右,平均电流密度分别为5.6和5.2mA/m2。在污水稀释比为2∶1、NaCl电解液浓度为0.4mol/L的情况下,微生物燃料电池系统的发电性能和净水效果达到最佳状态,稳态电流密度为8.8mA/m2,COD去除率为33.3%。     

Increased power from a two-chamber microbial fuel cell with a low-pH air-cathode compartment

Pt-supported air-cathodes still need improvement if their application in MFC technology is to be sustainable. In this context, the efficiency of an air-cathode was studied with respect to the pH of the solution it was exposed to. Voltammetry showed that oxygen reduction was no longer limited by H⁺ availability for pH lower than 3.0. A new MFC was designed with a catholyte compartment setup between the anode compartment and the air-cathode. With a catholyte compartment at pH 1.0, the MFC provided up to 5 W/m², i.e., 2.5-fold the power density obtained with the same anode and cathode in a single-chamber MFC working at pH 7.5. Current density exceeded 20 A/m². The benefit of low-pH in the catholyte chamber largely counterbalanced the mass transfer hindrance due the membrane that separated the two compartments. The MFC kept 66% its performance during nine days of continuous operation.     

电化学法改性阳极对MFC性能的影响

采用不同质量分数的NH_4NO_3和(NH_4)_2S_2O_8溶液作为电解液,对双室微生物燃料电池的阳极炭布进行改性。以餐厨废水作为阳极底物,以K_3[Fe(CN)_6]和NaCl混合溶液为阴极液,考察不同电解液改性阳极条件下微生物燃料电池的产电性能及污水处理效果。结果表明,采用NH_4NO_3或(NH_4)_2S_2O_8改性炭布作为阳极的微生物燃料电池的发电性能和水处理效果均有改善。其中,采用质量分数为4%的(NH_4)_2S_2O_8溶液作为阳极改性电解液时,微生物燃料电池系统的产电性能达到最佳,其稳态电流密度约为60 m A/m~2,COD去除率约为42.5%。     

A pH‐Neutral,Metal‐Free Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery Employing an Ammonium Anthraquinone Anolyte

Redox‐active anthraquinone molecules represent promising anolyte materials in aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs). However, the chemical stability issue and corrosion nature of anthraquinone‐based anolytes in reported acidic and alkaline AORFBs constitute a roadblock for their practical applications in energy storage. A feasible strategy to overcome these issues is migrating to pH‐neutral conditions and employing soluble AQDS salts. Herein, we report the 9,10‐anthraquinone‐2,7‐disulfonic diammonium salt AQDS(NH₄)₂ , as an anolyte material for pH‐neutral AORFBs with solubility of 1.9 m in water, which is more than 3 times that of the corresponding sodium salt. Paired with an NH₄I catholyte, the resulting pH‐neutral AORFB with an energy density of 12.5 Wh L^?1 displayed outstanding cycling stability over 300 cycles. Even at the pH‐neutral condition, the AQDS(NH₄)₂ /NH₄I AORFB delivered an impressive energy efficiency of 70.6 % at 60 mA cm^?2 and a high power density of 91.5 mW cm^?2 at 100 % SOC. The present AQDS(NH₄)₂ flow battery chemistry opens a new avenue to apply anthraquinone molecules in developing low‐cost and benign pH‐neutral flow batteries for scalable energy storage.     

A pH‐Neutral,Metal‐Free Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery Employing an Ammonium Anthraquinone Anolyte

Redox‐active anthraquinone molecules represent promising anolyte materials in aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs). However, the chemical stability issue and corrosion nature of anthraquinone‐based anolytes in reported acidic and alkaline AORFBs constitute a roadblock for their practical applications in energy storage. A feasible strategy to overcome these issues is migrating to pH‐neutral conditions and employing soluble AQDS salts. Herein, we report the 9,10‐anthraquinone‐2,7‐disulfonic diammonium salt AQDS(NH₄)₂ , as an anolyte material for pH‐neutral AORFBs with solubility of 1.9 m in water, which is more than 3 times that of the corresponding sodium salt. Paired with an NH₄I catholyte, the resulting pH‐neutral AORFB with an energy density of 12.5 Wh L^?1 displayed outstanding cycling stability over 300 cycles. Even at the pH‐neutral condition, the AQDS(NH₄)₂ /NH₄I AORFB delivered an impressive energy efficiency of 70.6 % at 60 mA cm^?2 and a high power density of 91.5 mW cm^?2 at 100 % SOC. The present AQDS(NH₄)₂ flow battery chemistry opens a new avenue to apply anthraquinone molecules in developing low‐cost and benign pH‐neutral flow batteries for scalable energy storage.     

A microfluidic microbial fuel cell array that supports long-term multiplexed analyses of electricigens

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are green energy technologies that exploit microbial metabolism to generate electricity. The widespread implementation of MFC technologies has been stymied by their high cost and limited power. MFC arrays in which device configurations or microbial consortia can be screened have generated significant interest because of their potential for defining aspects that will improve performance featuring high throughput characteristics. However, current miniature MFCs and MFC array systems do not support long-term studies that mimic field conditions, and hence, have limitations in fully characterizing and understanding MFC performances in varieties of conditions. Here, we describe an MFC array device that incorporates microfluidic technology to enable continuous long-term analysis of MFC performance at high throughput utilizing periodic anolyte/catholyte replenishment. The system showed 360% higher power output and 700% longer operating time when compared to MFC arrays without catholyte replenishment. We further demonstrate the utility of the system by reporting its successful use in screening microbial consortia collected from geographically diverse environments for communities that support enhanced MFC performance. Taken together, this work demonstrates that anolyte/catholyte replenishment can significantly improve the long-term performance of microfabricated MFC arrays, and support the characterization of diverse microbial consortia.     

Flocculation performance and mechanism of chitosan-based flocculants in the treatment of emulsified oily wastewater

Chitosan (CS)-based flocculants, denoted as CS-g-PAM and CS-g-PDBC, were successfully prepared via graft copolymerization of CS with acrylamide (AM) or dimethyl acryloyloxyethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (DBC). The grafting was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The flocculation performance of CS-g-PAM and CS-g-PDBC, as well as flocculants such as cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM), polyaluminum chloride (PAC), and CS, was evaluated and compared for treating emulsified oil wastewater. It was found that CS-g-PDBC exhibited excellent flocculation performance under both acidic and neutral conditions, while CS showed better flocculation ability under alkaline condition. The flocculation mechanism of CS and CS-g-PDBC was investigated via zeta potential measurements. Results showed that different flocculation mechanisms were involved at various pH levels. As regarding CS, the flocculation mechanism is mainly charge neutralization, patching, and sweep floc under acidic, neutral, and alkaline conditions, respectively, while for CS-g-PDBC, patching was the dominant mechanism under both acidic and neutral conditions.     

Impact of modified electrodes on boosting power density of microbial fuel cell for effective domestic wastewater treatment:A case study of Tehran

Utilizing microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is a promising technology for energy-efficient domestic wastewater treatment, but it still faces practical barriers such as low power generation. In this study, the LaMnO₃ perovskite-type oxide nanoparticles and nickel oxide/carbon nanotube/polyaniline (NCP) nanocomposite (the cathode and anode catalysts, respectively) have been prepared and used to enhance power density of MFC. The prepared La-based perovskite oxide catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopies (SEM). The electrocatalytic properties of the prepared catalysts were investigated through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Tafel plot at ambient temperature. Results show the exchange current densities of LaMnO₃/carbon cloth cathode and NCP nanocomposite/carbon cloth anode were 1.68 and 7 times more compared to carbon cloth cathode, respectively. In comparison to the bare carbon cloth anode, the MFC with the modified electrodes shows 11 times more enhancement in power density output which according to electrochemical results, it can be due to the enhancement of the electron transfer capability. These cathodic and anodic catalysts were examined in batch and semi-continuous modes to provide conditions close to industrial conditions. This study suggests that utilizing these low cost catalysts has promising potential for wastewater treatment in MFC with high power generation and good COD removal efficiency.     

DETERGENT EFFICIENCY OF WATER/NONIONIC SURFACTANT/HYDROCARBON SYSTEMS. PART II: INFLUENCE OF ELECTROLYTES

Washing efficiency of water/nonionic surfactant/hydrocarbon systems under the presence of different types of electrolytes has been evaluated, The influence of different parameters such as pH value, washing time, electrolyte concentration, etc., have also been considered. The results showed that the enhancement on washing efficiency promoted by alkaline electrolytes was higher than that promoted by neutral electrolytes.     

Use of acidic and basic pH and calcium ion addition in the capillary zone electrophoretic characterization of recombinant human deoxyribonuclease, a complex phosphoglycoprotein.

This paper describes the analysis of recombinant human deoxyribonuclease (rhDNAse), an acidic and complex phosphoglycoprotein, by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Separation performance was found to be dramatically improved by the addition of calcium ions to the CZE running buffer, due to the influence of calcium binding on the charge and the electrophoretic behavior of rhDNAse. The pH dependent calcium binding effects on the electrophoretic separation were demonstrated at both acidic and basic pH, resulting in a two-dimensional (pH 4.8 and 8.0) calcium aided analysis that achieved multipeak resolution of the complex, glycosylation based, charge microheterogeneity of rhDNAse. Two-dimensional investigation of neuraminidase- and alkaline phosphatase-digested protein further demonstrated that the acidic pH resolved acidic charge heterogeneity and that the basic pH discriminated neutral heterogeneity. This work demonstrates the resolving power of CZE for the analysis of a complex microheterogeneous glycoprotein, and emphasizes the importance of employing multiple separation conditions in accordance with known structural characteristics of the protein.     

Effects of applied anodic potential and pH on the repassivation kinetics of pure aluminium in aqueous alkaline solution

The repassivation kinetics of pure aluminium have been explored in aqueous alkaline solutions as functions of applied anodic potential and pH by using an abrading electrode technique and a rotating disc electrode. The repassivation rate of the abraded bare surface of pure aluminium increased with increasing applied anodic potential in aqueous alkaline solutions, while it decreased with increasing pH. These results revealed that the growth rate of the passivating oxide film is enhanced by an applied electric field, but it is lowered due to the chemical attack by hydroxyl ions. A potentiostatic anodic current decay transient obtained from the abraded electrode surface showed a constant repassivation rate in neutral and weakly alkaline solutions. In contrast, in concentrated alkaline solutions it was observed to consist of three stages: a high repassivation rate in the initial stage due to a high formation rate of the oxide film on the abraded bare surface; a zero value of the repassivation rate in the second stage due to the dissolution of the oxide film by the attack of OH⁻; a high repassivation rate in the third stage due to a lowered dissolution rate of the oxide film. The dissolution rate of the passivating oxide film was observed to depend on the removal rate of aluminate ions from the oxide/solution interface. Received: 1 April 1998 / Accepted: 3 July 1998     

HPLC-SEC: a new approach to characterise complex wastewater effluents

This work investigates the use of HPLC-SEC to characterise dissolved organic matter (DOM) of complex wastewater effluents. A silica-based column, sodium acetate eluent and multiple detections were employed: UV-254 absorbance for humictype, and tryptophan-like (Ex/Em = 270/355) and tyrosine-like (Ex/Em = 270/310) fluorescence for protein type compounds. Effects of eluent pH, eluent ionic strength and injection volume on separation efficiency were tested. Humic-type and protein-type fractions were clearly differentiated and eluted within and out of calibration range. Eluent ionic strength had the greatest influence on global resolution; the lowest eluent concentration of 0.01 M produced the best separation for all wastewater effluents tested at any detection. UV-254 absorbance was higher at neutral and basic eluent pH while tryptophan-like fluorescence depended on the sample composition rather than on the eluent pH or ionic strength. Tyrosine-like fluorescence decreased significantly with the increase of eluent ionic strength. Accurate molecular weight measurements could not be done, the separation being influenced by secondary interactions, but could be approximated using separate calibrations with sodium salts of polystyrene-sulfonates and protein standards. The results show that this method is suitable for determining DOM in wastewater at low eluent concentrations (up to 0.03 M), at neutral or slightly basic pH.     

Preparative continuous flow electrophoretic instrumentation for purification of biological samples

We constructed a preparative instrumentation and developed the methods that are based on separation of the samples by bidirectional isotachophoresis/moving boundary electrophoresis in continuous divergent flow. The described instrumentation can be used for a variety of the samples, however, it can be easily optimized and tailored for the specific sample. The trapezoid separation bed from nonwoven textile exhibited minimum adsorption effect for sample and it can be used repeatedly. By the addition of different spacers via separation space inlets, the sections of pH gradient can be modified to enhance the separation. The liquid flow from two inlets positioned on each side of the sample inlet prevented the contact of the sample with anolyte and catholyte at the analysis beginning. One pair of thin electrodes (graphite and stainless-steel) was placed at the separation space output. The electrode products were washed out into drains without disturbing the focusing process. The influence of EOF was managed by tilting the separation bed in the direction from cathodic to anodic side. The components of spirulina supernatant and color pI markers were separated in the pH gradient from 3.9 to 10.1. pH gradient was stable for at least 4.5 h and spirulina supernatant from about 0.12 g of dry powder was processed. Compared to other preparative methods used for spirulina separation, the presented method/instrumentation working with a continuous divergent flow had essential advantages. The efficient separation was fast, and no intermediate steps were necessary to obtain liquid fractions with separated components compatible with further biological experiments.     

Adsorption of phenol from water by N-butylimidazolium functionalized strongly basic anion exchange resin

N-butylimidazolium functionalized strongly basic anion exchange resin with Cl(-) anion (MCl) was prepared by anchoring N-butylimidazole onto chloromethylated macroporous styrene-divinylbenzene (St-DVB) copolymer. The adsorption performances of phenol on MCl were studied using the batch technique at acidic and alkaline pH. The studies showed that phenol can be effectively removed at both acidic and alkaline pH. The maximum adsorption was achieved at about pH 11. The maximum adsorption capacities of phenol on MCl at pH 6.6 and 11.2 were 80.2 and 92.9 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption mechanism was mainly molecular adsorption at acidic pH and anion exchange at alkaline pH. The adsorption of phenol was hindered by the presence of Cl(-) and SO(4)(2-) at alkaline pH due to the competitive anion exchange reaction. The adsorption of molecular phenol species on MCl at acidic pH was exothermic, and the anion exchange of phenolate species by MCl at alkaline pH was endothermic. Desorption of phenol from loaded adsorbent was achieved by using 0.5 mol/L NaOH and 0.5 mol/L NaCl mixed solution. MCl can simultaneously remove phenol and Cr(VI) from their mixtures, which would be of practical value in actual industrial wastewater treatment.     

Effect of electrolyte pH on the rate of the anodic and cathodic reactions in an air-cathode microbial fuel cell

The measurement of electricity generation from an air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) with a mixed bacteria culture at different pH showed that this MFC could tolerate an initial (feed solution) pH as high as 10. The optimal initial pH was between 8 and 10 with higher current generation compared to lower or higher pH. The bacterial metabolism exhibited a buffer effect and changed the electrolyte pH. The impedance spectra of the anode and cathode of the MFC at the open-circuit potential (OCP) revealed that the anodic microbial process preferred a neutral pH and microbial activities decreased at higher or lower pH; while the cathodic reaction was improved with increasing pH.     

Electrolytic synthesis of chloroform from carbon tetrachloride in mild conditions. Laboratory approach

A selective electrochemical synthesis of chloroform from carbon tetrachloride (CT) in mild conditions is studied. The voltammetric results show that in a sodium chloride–ethanol:water (4:1) solvent and using carbon as electrode, it is possible to reduce CT to chloroform with very high selectivity and current efficiency adequate for the developing of an industrial process. The influence in the electrochemical potentiostatic reduction of CT of the pH of anolyte and catholyte using a divided electrochemical “H cell”, is also investigated. When, as anolyte, a pH 7-buffered solution was used, hydrolysis of the product (chloroform) was observed as a consequence of the basic pH reached in the catholyte. This hydrolysis was not observed when an acid anolyte was used. No other products other than chloroform were detected. Finally, a galvanostatic electroreduction of CT was carried out in a homemade filter-press reactor at laboratory scale. Good current efficiency and material yield were obtained hydrogen being the only sub-product detected.     

氯化钠溶液中铜丝尺寸效应对腐蚀行为的影响

为了研究半径变化对铜丝腐蚀行为的影响, 通过极化曲线和交流阻抗测试方法研究了半径为0.04-0.82 mm的铜丝在自然通气的0.5 mol·L-1 NaCl(pH=7.4)溶液中的腐蚀行为. 结果表明, 当铜丝半径小于氧的扩散层厚度(0.56 mm)时, 随着半径减少, 非线性扩散的存在加速了电化学反应的传质过程, 其影响由慢到快迅速增大, 使得受扩散过程控制的阴、阳极反应速率增大, 铜丝的腐蚀电流密度显著增加. 对铂丝、不锈钢丝的氧阴极还原反应过程研究也得到了类似的反应特征. 上述现象表明铜丝腐蚀行为的尺寸效应具有一定的普遍性.     

共基质改善MFC处理链霉素废水及产电性能的研究

以K_3[Fe(CN)_6]和NaCl混合溶液为阴极液,以驯化的人工湖泊底泥为微生物菌种,以链霉素废水为阳极液,构建微生物燃料电池实验系统,研究添加共基质前后微生物燃料电池的废水处理效果与同步发电性能。结果表明,以链霉素废水为阳极液的微生物燃料电池的产电能力及废水处理效果均较差,并且随着链霉素浓度的增大而进一步恶化;但将葡萄糖作为共基质添加至阳极链霉素废水后,微生物燃料电池的产电能力和废水处理效果均显著提高。链霉素浓度为50 mg/L时,未添加共基质的微生物燃料电池处理链霉素废水的COD去除率为52%,产电电流密度为25 m A/m~2,输出电压为4.72 m V;添加共基质后,COD去除率为92%,稳态产电电流密度为300 m A/m~2,稳态输出电压为54 m V。