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On the Effects of Ferricyanide as Cathodic Mediator on the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells

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Abstract

This study provides an insight into the long-term influence of the use of ferricyanide in the cathode chamber of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) on the power generated and the COD removal attained. Two MFCs were operated in semicontinuous mode, using winery wastewater as fuel, activated sludge as the anodic inoculum, and concentrations of 0.05 and 0.25 M of ferrocyanide added in the cathode chamber as redox mediators. The MFC used had two chambers separated by a proton exchange membrane Sterion®. The results show that permeability of the membrane to mediators is a factor of the major significance. Under no crossover, the mediator produced a positive effect on the electricity generation and COD removal. However, as the experiments progressed, a significant concentration of mediator was detected in the anode chamber and the performance of the MFC gets worse. This work reports results that help to understand the main processes happening in the MFC.

Highlights

  • Crossover of ferrocyanide and ferricyanide to the anodic chamber reduces efficiency in the production of electricity

  • The couple ferrocyanide/ferricyanide in the cathode chamber of an MFC can improve the performance in terms of COD removal and energy efficiency

  • At low mediator concentration, a maximum in the power generation and COD removal can be attained

  • At high mediator concentration, there was inhibition of biodegradation of winery wastewater

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) for supporting this research (process 2014/07904-5, 2011/23026-0 and 2009/15984-0) and to the Spanish government through contract CTQ2013-49748-EXP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Processos Biológicos (LPB), Centro de Pesquisa, Desenvolvimento e Inovação em Engenharia Ambiental, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Engenharia Ambiental—Bloco 4-F, Av. João Dagnone, 1100, Santa Angelina, São Carlos, SP, 13563-120, Brazil

    Eduardo D. Penteado & Marcelo Zaiat

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Castilla—La Mancha, Enrique Costa Building, Av. Camilo José Cela, No. 12, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain

    Carmen Maria Fernandez-Marchante & Manuel Andrés Rodrigo

  3. Departamento de Físico Química, Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador São-carlense, 400—CEP, Sao Carlos, SP, 13566-590, Brazil

    Ernesto Rafael Gonzalez

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  1. Eduardo D. Penteado
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  2. Carmen Maria Fernandez-Marchante
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  3. Marcelo Zaiat
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  4. Ernesto Rafael Gonzalez
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  5. Manuel Andrés Rodrigo
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Correspondence to Ernesto Rafael Gonzalez or Manuel Andrés Rodrigo.

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Penteado, E.D., Fernandez-Marchante, C.M., Zaiat, M. et al. On the Effects of Ferricyanide as Cathodic Mediator on the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells. Electrocatalysis 8, 59–66 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-016-0334-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-016-0334-x

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