Research article
Bioelectrogenesis with microbial fuel cells (MFCs) using the microalga Chlorella vulgaris and bacterial communities

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2017.10.013Get rights and content
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Abstract

Background

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology is used in various applications such as wastewater treatment with the production of electrical energy. The objective of this study was to estimate the biodepuration of oils and fats, the elimination of blue dye brl and bioelectro-characterization in MFCs with Chlorella vulgaris and bacterial community.

Results

The operation of MFCs at 32 d showed an increase in bioelectrogenic activity (from 23.17 to 327.67 mW/m2) and in the potential (from 200 to 954 mV), with biodepuration of fats and oils (95%) in the microalgal cathode, and a removal of the chemical oxygen demand COD (anode, 71%, cathode, 78.6%) and the blue dye brl (73%) at the anode, here biofilms were formed by the bacterial community consisting of Actinobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that MFCs with C. vulgaris and bacterial community have a simultaneous efficiency in the production of bioelectricity and bioremediation processes, becoming an important source of bioenergy in the future.

Keywords

Biodepuration
Bioelectrocharacterization
Biofilm
Chamber
Chlorophyll
Electrode
Fuel
Potential
Removal
Wastewater

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