Deployment of the microbial fuel cell latrine in Ghana for decentralized sanitation

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 663-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia J. Castro ◽  
Joseph E. Goodwill ◽  
Brad Rogers ◽  
Mark Henderson ◽  
Caitlyn S. Butler
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Nitrogen Removal ◽  
Liquid Stream ◽  
Nitrogen Gas ◽  
Human Waste ◽  
Multiple User ◽  
Total Nitrogen Removal ◽  
Anode Respiring Bacteria

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) latrine that treats human waste and produces compost and electricity was deployed in Agona Nyakrom, Ghana. After solid wastes were composted, the MFC treated organic matter and nitrogen from the remaining liquid stream. Organic matter was oxidized in the anode by anode-respiring bacteria that transfer electrons to an external circuit, producing electricity, which was observed to be 268 nW/m2 after two years of operation. A separate nitrification stage transformed ammonium present in urine, to nitrate. Nitrate was reduced to nitrogen gas by cathode-oxidizing bacteria in the cathode completing nitrogen removal. The MFC Latrine was constructed on-site using local labor and materials. Evidence of total nitrogen removal and power production was observed while the MFC Latrine was in operation. Multiple user challenges and maintenance affected the performance, yielding low power output. The initial findings suggest that the viability of the system is directly correlated with its use. Incorporating the MFC Latrine system into the user community's typical social practices is key to a successful deployment of the MFC Latrine as a sanitation technology.

scholarly journals Prompt nitrogen removal by controlling the oxygen concentration in sediment microbial fuel cell systems: the electrons allocation and its microbial mechanism

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 1209-1220
Author(s):  
Weiping Sima ◽  
Ruixiang Ma ◽  
Feixian Yin ◽  
Haodong Zou ◽  
Hong Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Nitrogen Removal ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Organic Sediment ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Do Concentration ◽  
Total Nitrogen Removal

Abstract It has been proved that the nitrogen can be removed from the sediment in a sediment microbial fuel cell system (SMFCs), but the competition between nitrate and oxygen for electrons would be a key factor that would affect the removal efficiency, and its mechanism is not clear. Based on organic sediment fuel, an SMFC was constructed, and the influence of dissolved oxygen (DO) on nitrogen transformation and cathodic microbial communities was investigated. The results showed that the best total nitrogen removal efficiency of 60.55% was achieved at DO level of 3 mg/L. High DO concentration affected the removal efficiency through the electrons' competition with nitrate, while low DO concentration suppressed the nitrification. Comamonas, Diaphorobacter and Brevundimonas were the three dominant genera responsible for denitrification at DO concentration of 3 mg/L in this study. The establishment of SMFCs for nitrogen removal by regulating DO level would offer a promising method for sediment treatment.

scholarly journals Nitrogen removal performance of microbial fuel cell enhanced bioretention system

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 769-781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yajun Wang ◽  
Rajendra Prasad Singh ◽  
Junyu Zhang ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
Dafang Fu
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Nitrogen Removal ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
System Combination ◽  
Bioretention Cell

Abstract Bioretention cell (BRC) and an enhanced system combining bioretention cell with microbial fuel cell (BRC-MFC) were used to treat domestic wastewater. Nitrogen removal characteristics and permeation characteristics of two systems were investigated by adjusting influent carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N = 2–20). Results showed that nitrification and denitrification performances were mainly influenced by organic matter and system combination, which further effected the nitrogen removal. When optimal operating parameters were: electrode space of 30 cm, hydraulic load of 1.0 m3/(m2·d) and inlet/reaction time of 1/8 in BRC-MFC system, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and NH4+ removal efficiencies still reached 97.63, 64, and 42.26%, respectively and achieved high removal efficiency of organic matter and nitrogen simultaneously compared to the BRC system. Efficient supply of electron and phylogenetic diversity of bacterial communities in BRC-MFC process was the main reason to achieve deep denitrification removal. After the V3-V4 variable region of 16S rRNA gene was sequenced by the Miseq high-throughput sequencing method, introduction of MFC enhancement technology affected the microbial community structure in the system. The presence of MFC contributed to an increase in community diversity (from 14 to 19 phyla). The results provide a simple method without kinetic energy for simultaneous denitrification and steady infiltration of bioretention.

Membrane filtration biocathode microbial fuel cell for nitrogen removal and electricity generation

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 56-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyi Zhang ◽  
Hanmin Zhang ◽  
Yanjie Ma ◽  
Guangen Yuan ◽  
Fenglin Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Nitrogen Removal ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Membrane Filtration

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF BIOELECTRICITY-MICROBIAL FUEL CELL FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PERFORMANCE CHARACTERIZATION AND CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT

2017 ◽  
Vol 79 (5-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zul Hasrizal Bohari ◽  
Nur Asyhikin Azhari ◽  
Nuraina Nasuha Ab Rahman ◽  
Mohamad Faizal Baharom ◽  
Mohd Hafiz Jali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Sewage Water ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Sample Type ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
The Right

Energy trending lately shown the need of new possible renewable energy. This paper studies about the capability and capacity generating of electricity by using Bio-electricity-Microbial Fuel Cell (Bio-MFC). Bio-MFC is the device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy by using microbes that exist in the sewage water. The energy contained in organic matter can be converted into useful electrical power. MFC can be operated by microbes that transfer electrons from anode to cathode for generating electricity. There are two major goals in this study. The first goal is to determine the performance characteristics of MFCs in this application. Specifically we investigate the relationship between the percentages of organic matter in a sample results in higher electricity production of MFCs power by that sample. As a result, the sewage (wastewater) chosen in the second series experiment because the sewage (wastewater) also produced the highest percentage of organic matter which is around 10%. Due to these, the higher percentage of organic matter corresponds to higher electricity production. The second goal is to determine the condition under which MFC work most efficiently to generating electricity. After get the best result of the combination for the electrode, which is combination of zinc and copper (900mV),the third series of experiments was coducted, that show the independent variable was in the ambient temperature. The reasons of these observations will be explained throughout the paper. The study proved that the electricity production of MFC can be increased by selecting the right condition of sample type, temperature and type of electrode. 

Nitrogen removal from water of recirculating aquaculture system by a microbial fuel cell

Aquaculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 497 ◽  
pp. 74-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiqiang Zou ◽  
Lu Guan ◽  
Daniel P. Taylor ◽  
David Kuhn ◽  
Zhen He
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Nitrogen Removal ◽  
Recirculating Aquaculture System ◽  
Recirculating Aquaculture ◽  
Aquaculture System

ANAMMOX-denitrification biomass in microbial fuel cell to enhance the electricity generation and nitrogen removal efficiency

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4-6) ◽  
pp. 249-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivar Zekker ◽  
Gourav Dhar Bhowmick ◽  
Hans Priks ◽  
Dibyojyoty Nath ◽  
Ergo Rikmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Nitrogen Removal ◽  
Electricity Generation
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