Comparative evaluation of wastewater-treatment microbial fuel cells in terms of organics removal, waste-sludge production, and electricity generation

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that exploit living microbes for electricity generation coupled to organics degradation. MFCs are expected to be applied to energy-saving wastewater treatment (WWT) as alternatives to activated-sludge reactors (ASRs). Although extensive laboratory studies have been performed to develop technologies for WWT-MFCs, limited information is available for comparative evaluation of MFCs and ASRs in terms of organics removal and waste-sludge production. In the present study, laboratory WWT experiments were performed using cassette-electrode MFCs and ASRs that were continuously supplied either with artificial domestic wastewater (ADW) containing starch and peptone or with artificial industrial wastewater (AIW) containing methanol as the major organic matter. We found that these two types of WWT reactors achieved similar organics-removal efficiencies, namely, over 93% based on chemical oxygen demands for the ADW treatment and over 97% for the AIW treatment. Sludge was routinely removed from these reactors and quantified, showing that amounts of waste sludge produced in MFCs were approximately one-third or less compared to those in ASRs. During WWT, MFCs continuously generated electricity with Coulombic efficiencies of 20% or more. In reference to ASRs, MFCs are demonstrated to be attractive WWT facilities in terms of stable organics removal and low waste-sludge production. Along with the unnecessity of electric power for aeration and the generation of power during WWT, the results obtained in the present study suggest that MFCs enable substantial energy saving during WWT. © 2017, The Author(s).