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Bimodal electricity generation and aromatic compounds removal from purified terephthalic acid plant wastewater in a microbial fuel cell

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Abstract

Wastewater of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) from a petrochemical plant was examined in a membrane-less single chamber microbial fuel cell for the first time. Time course of voltage during the cell operation cycle had two steady phases, which refers to the fact that metabolism of microorganisms was shifted from highly to less biodegradable carbon sources. The produced power density was 31.8 mW m−2 (normalized per cathode area) and the calculated coulombic efficiency was 2.05 % for a COD removal of 74 % during 21 days. The total removal rate of different pollutants in the PTA wastewater was observed in the following order: (acetic acid) > (benzoic acid) > (phthalic acid) > (terephthalic acid) > (p-toluic acid). The cyclic voltammetry results revealed that the electron transfer mechanism was dominated by mediators which were produced by bacteria.

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and research office of Sharif University of Technology for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11155-9465, Azadi Ave, Tehran, Iran

    Seyed Kamran Foad Marashi, Hamid-Reza Kariminia & Iman Shahidi Pour Savizi

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  1. Seyed Kamran Foad Marashi
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  2. Hamid-Reza Kariminia
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  3. Iman Shahidi Pour Savizi
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Correspondence to Hamid-Reza Kariminia.

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Marashi, S.K.F., Kariminia, HR. & Savizi, I.S.P. Bimodal electricity generation and aromatic compounds removal from purified terephthalic acid plant wastewater in a microbial fuel cell. Biotechnol Lett 35, 197–203 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-1063-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-1063-8

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